The origins of the Miaoli Management Office of the Irrigation Agency, Ministry of Agriculture, can be traced back to the 20th year of the reign of Qing Emperor Qianlong when the landlord and tenants of six villages in Miaoli raised funds to build “Maolisanbian Canal.” Thereafter, early settlers dug many private canals as the expansion of cultivated land increased the need for irrigation.

During the period of Japanese rule, private canals involving public interest were designated public canals, and irrigation engineering projects the private sector was not able to build alone were constructed by the government and designated state-owned irrigation canals.

• In 1923, state-owned irrigation canals were renamed and reorganized into five irrigation cooperatives, including Miaoli, Houlong, Fushi, Zhunan and Daai, and then merged into Miaoli Irrigation Cooperative and Zhunan Irrigation Cooperative.

• The Irrigation Cooperatives were renamed Irrigation Coordination Associations.
• 1946, Reorganized as the Miaoli and Zhunan Irrigation Committees.
• 1956, Restructured as the Miaoli and Zhunan Irrigation Associations.
• 1975, The three Irrigation Associations of Hsinchu, Zhunan and Miaoli are merged to form the Xinmiao Irrigation Association.
• June 1982, The Irrigation Association is divided into Hsinchu and Miaoli Irrigation Associations, to better consider the demands of the geographical environment and adapt to public sentiment.
• From October 1, 2020, it is restructured as "Miaoli Management Office, Agriculture and Water Resources Department, Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan."
• August 1, 2023, Upgraded to "Miaoli Management Office, Irrigation Agency, Ministry of Agriculture.”