Water Resources Department of Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh is a major department headed by a cabinet minister. Prior to 1995 its activities were under the Rural Works Department (RWD). During 1995 the irrigation and flood control activities got bifurcated from the RWD as a new and full-fledged department in the name of Irrigation and Flood Control Department (IFCD). Realizing the fact that irrigation and flood management are interdependent on holistic planning and management of water resources, the IFCD got renamed as Water Resources Department (WRD) in 2004. The WRD is basically entrusted with irrigation, command area development and flood management activities with recently added water conservation activities etc in line with the Department of Water Resources, Ganga Rejuvenation and River Development, Ministry of Jal Shakti, Govt. of India.
The department has a Secretary as administrative head at the Government level and at the directorate level there are three Chief Engineers. Chief Engineer Eastern Zone looks after works implementation of Eastern portion of Arunachal Pradesh, Chief Engineer Western Zone looks after the works implementation of Western portion; and Chief Engineer (P&D) initiates planning process, budget matters, monitor the progress of activities and coordinates both the zones.
At present there are five works Circles headed by Superintending Engineers at Jamiri, Itanagar and Pangin under the Chief Engineer Western Zone; and at Daporijo and Namsai under the Chief Engineer Eastern Zone. The Department has 27 works Divisions manned by the Executive Engineers, 12 Divisions under the Chief Engineer Eastern Zone and 15 Divisions under the Chief Engineer Western Zone. Besides, the department has optimum required numbers of Sub-Divisions manned by Assistant Engineers and Sections manned by the Junior Engineers in all the administrative Circles of Arunachal Pradesh.
Human resources strength is sufficient to implement the entrusted works of the Government’s State Plan schemes, Centrally Sponsored Schemes and deposit works of other organizations. The sanctioned posts and filled up staff strength of the department are:
SANCTION STRENGTH OF OFFICERS & OFFICIAL
| Serial No. | Designation | Strength |
| 1 | Chief Engineer | 3 |
| 2 | Superintending Engineer | 8 |
| 3 | Executive Engineer | 30 |
| 4 | Assistant Engineer | 69 |
| 5 | Junior Engineer | 208 |
| 6 | Other Technical Staffs | 97 |
| 7 | Administrative Officer | 01 |
| 8 | Finance & Accounts Officer | 01 |
| 9 | Ministerial Staffs | 208 |
| 10 | Other Multitasking Staffs | 383 |
| 11 | Contingent Staffs | 1596 |