Abstract:The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is the source of major Asian rivers such as the Yangtze River, the Yellow River, and the Yarlung Zangbo River, which is known as Asia's water tower. Analysis on the evolution rule and variation trend of surface water and groundwater resources in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is of great strategic and scientific importance to the water resources, water ecological protection, and future regional development of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Based on the analysis of the observed runoff series of hydrological stations in the main rivers within source areas, it is found that the surface runoffs in most areas of the QinghaiTibet Plateau show an increasing trend impacted by climate change in terms of more precipitation and rising temperature, and indicates significant changes in seasonal processes. The runoffs increase more significantly in the source areas of the Yangtze, Nujiang, and Yarlung Zangbo rivers. The results demonstrate that the dominant factor is increased glacier and snow melting flow to more groundwater and growth of plateau lakes, due to temperature rising. With the depletion of glacier and snowpack, the melting water will be reduced in future. Therefore, the break point of increase to decrease will arise in some river runoffs. Thus, the water security of this region will face new problems and challenges. High attention should be paid to the global change impact to water resources evolution in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and positive responsive measures should be taken.