In arid regions where freshwater is a precious commodity, the assessment and management of groundwater levelsGroundwater level and hydrochemical conditionsConditions are of utmost importance, particularly in the face of escalating climate changeClimate change. The present study takes Delingha, a typical arid region of Qaidam Basin on Tibetan Plateau, as an example to get insight into the response of groundwater quantityQuantity and quality to climate changeClimate change in arid and semi-arid regions based on the Standardized PrecipitationPrecipitation Evapotranspiration IndexIndex (SPEI). The findings suggest the droughtDrought conditionsConditions in the Delingha Basin have generally been alleviated. The 3-month scale SPEI reveals that mild droughtDrought is the most common, particularly in winter, while severe and extreme droughtsDrought are more frequent in summer. On the 12-month scale, the years 1996, 1997, 2007, and 2023 were characterized by the most arid conditionsConditions. In terms of water quantityQuantity, the correlation between groundwater levelsGroundwater level in inhabited areas and SPEI is weak, attributed to the significant impact of human activitiesHuman activity. Water quality in the alluvial lacustrine plain is compromised due to the strong evaporative concentration effects resulting from sluggish flow rates. Considering water quantityQuantity and quality, the study identifies the northwestern sector of the area as the most suitable for sustainable groundwater development and utilization. This research offers valuable insights for the protectionProtection of water ecosystemsEcosystem and the sustainable management of water resourcesWater resources in arid and semi-arid regions.