Climate change impact on the hydrological budget of a large Mediterranean islandClimate change impact on the hydrological budget of a large Mediterranean island Peer-Reviewed Journal Publication Δημοσίευση σε Περιοδικό με Κριτές 2020-05-282019enCrete is a Mediterranean, karst-dominated island, characterized by long drought periods. The Karst-SWAT model, combined with 11 climate change scenarios, was run to assess climate change impacts on the island under two set-ups, both using the auto-irrigation function of the model: (1) with water drawn from the shallow or deep aquifer, and (2) with irrigated water derived from an unlimited outside source. The first set-up provided insight into the fluctuation of future irrigation needs, and when compared to the second set-up, enabled quantification of the future water deficit. The Water Exploitation Index was used to describe the spatial variability of future water stress on Crete. A decrease in both surface and karstic spring flows is foreseen, especially after 2060 (24.2 and 16.5%, respectively). Simulated irrigation water demand and water deficit show continuous increase throughout the projection period (2020–2098).http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Hydrological Sciences Journal64101190-1203 Nerantzaki Sofia Νεραντζακη Σοφια Efstathiou Dionysios Ευσταθιου Διονυσιος Giannakis Georgios Γιαννακης Γεωργιος Kritsotakis Marinos Gryllakis Emmanouil Γρυλλακης Εμμανουηλ Koutroulis Aristeidis Κουτρουλης Αριστειδης Tsanis Ioannis Τσανης Ιωαννης Nikolaidis Nikolaos Νικολαιδης Νικολαος Taylor & Francis Climate change scenarios Irrigation Karst-SWAT Karstic springs Mediterranean watershed Water stress