This study aimed at assessing the potential impacts of climate change on the water balance of the Nahr Ibrahim river in Lebanon which is strongly affected by seasonal snowmelt. The assessment was based on analyzing the watershed hydrological regime in terms of mean values and their variability as a response to the climate change scenarios (CCS) for the 21st century that was specifically developed at the basin scale. The output of a state-of-the-art regional climate model (RCM) named PRECIS was used as climate forcing for a conceptual daily water balance model (NIWaB). The adopted CCS resulted in significant future changes corresponding to a decrease in snow-covered areas, anticipated and fastened snow melting, shorter snow periods, hence alteration in the discharge seasonality and peak flow with an estimated 40% reduction of the discharge volume by the end of this century.
