As unusual weather such as heat waves, droughts, and heavy rains have become more frequent, interest in traditional irrigation facilities that have contributed to the supply of agricultural water and flood control has increased. Thirty-one of sixty-two GIAHS designated sites by FAO and five out of seventeen designated sites by the National Important Agricultural Heritage (KIAHS) have suggested irrigation systems as key resources, and International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID) has selected 105 World Heritage Irrigation Structures (WHIS) since 2014.In this study, the types and functions of traditional irrigation facilities were classified through prior research and review of the old literature, we analyzed the proposals for GIAHS and KIAHS sites, which were selected presenting the irrigation system as key resources, and the characteristics related to cultural heritage were derived. Based on this, the value of traditional irrigation facilities as UNESCO and ICID heritage was explored using examples of agricultural heritages related to irrigation facilities registered in world heritage, intangible cultural heritage of humanity, and WHIS. To find ways to link with national cultural properties from an institutional point of view, the criteria and categories for designating cultural properties were reviewed and their relevance to traditional irrigation facilities was presented. In this process, it was confirmed that the irrigation facilities and the cultural meaning inherent therein and the abundance of knowledge accumulated by farmers were cultural heritages that no one could deny.Heritage is a concept that emphasizes the meaning of what must be passed on to future generations rather than what was left by past ancestors. Registering cultural heritage or agricultural heritage is not the only way to preserve traditional irrigation facilities, but in reality, it is judged that there is no more effective way to preserve irrigation facilities and discover the value of modern use. Through this study, it is expected that irrigation facilities covering the values of livelihood, ecology, knowledge, culture, and landscape are not limited to agricultural heritage, but also expand their scope to cultural heritages such as world heritage, historical sites, scenic spots, natural monuments, folk cultural properties, registered cultural properties, and intangible cultural properties.