The Chianan Plain is a large area with a mild climate, suitable for agricultural production. Before 1920, there was a lack of irrigation facilities and farmers diverted water from nearby rivers, but there was only 5,000 hectares of irrigated land and the yield was very small.

• September 1, 1920, "Public Irrigation Canal of Official and Tenants River Irrigation Canal Cooperative" is founded and construction of Wushantou Reservoir starts.
• April 1921, Renamed "Public Irrigation Canal of Jianan Canal Cooperative"
• June 1927, Zhuoshui Main Canal irrigation and drainage system is completed.
• March 1930, Wushantou Reservoir and its irrigation and drainage system are completed. The total irrigation area is about 130,000 hectares and a three-year crop rotation irrigation system is implemented.
• December 1943, Reorganized as "Jianan Cannal Irrigation Cooperative"
• June 1944, six irrigation cooperatives (now referred to as general irrigation areas) including Xinfeng, Xinhua, Xinying, Chiayi, Douliu and Huwei are merged, and the irrigation area is increased to about 180,000 hectares.
• November 1946, Reorganized as "Jianan Canal Irrigation Coordination Association"
• September 1947, Douliu irrigation area is set aside by the Association to found the Douliu Irrigation Coordination Association. As a result, the irrigation area is reduced to about 150,000 hectares.
• February 1948, Reorganized as the "Jianan Canal Irrigation Committee"
• December 1956, Reorganized as the "Taiwan Province Jianan Irrigation Association"
• January 1974, Operation of Zengwen Reservoir and Wushantou Reservoir is integrated, and the farming method and irrigation system changed to two crops in three years.
• January 1975, The government implements an Irrigation Association improvement plan and takes over management of the association. The election of member representatives is suspended, and the president is appointed by the provincial government. In addition, Zhuoshui Main Canal irrigation system in Yunlin County is placed under Yunlin Irrigation Association, and the irrigation area reduced to 94,764 hectares. As of January 1, 1995, due to land use changes, the irrigated area was reduced to 78,182 hectares.
• June 1 1982, The government’s Irrigation Association improvement plan is ended and it is restored as a farmers' self-governing group. The president is elected by member representatives for a four-year term and can serve a maximum of two terms.
• June 1, 1994, The "Organizational Charter of the Taiwan Provincial Irrigation Association" is revised to stipulate that committee members and the president are appointed by the government for a four-year term.
• June 1, 2002, Provisions of the "Organizational Charter of the Taiwan Provincial Irrigation Association" are revised, and the first directly elected president and advisory committee are elected.
• January 1, 2013, Renamed "Taiwan Jianan Irrigation Association"
• October 1, 2020, Restructured into public organization "Jianan Management Office of the Irrigation Agency, Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan"
• August 1, 2023, The Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan is upgraded to the Ministry of Agriculture and the agency renamed "Jianan Management Office of the Irrigation Agency, Ministry of Agriculture"