Trends of water resources in the central region of China (i.e., the Xiang River basin)over coming decades are investigated by using the Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) model and 14 General Circulation Models' (GCMs') projections under the Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP4.5) scenario.Results show that the Xiang River basin will likely experience temperature rises during 2021-2050 with possible decreases in precipitation during 2021-2030, and increased precipitation during 2031-2040.The VIC model performs well for monthly discharge simulations with better performance for main stem hydrometric stations of the Xiang River than for tributaries catchments.The simulated annual discharges are highly correlated to the recorded annual discharges for all eight selected target stations.The Xiang River basin may experience water shortages induced by climate change.Annual water resources of the Xiang River basin over the period of 2021-2050 may decrease by 2.76# with range of 7.81# decrease to 7.40# increase.It is essential to consider the potential impact of climate change on water resources in the future water resources planning for sustainable utilization.