1. (1) Review proposals and petitions to establish waterways improvement districts and report to the governing body on each proposed district as provided in § 8-705 of this subtitle;
2. (2) Provide engineering design for waterways projects and supervise or provide supervision for these projects;
3. (3) Clear debris, aquatic vegetation, and obstructions from waters of the State;
4. (4) Provide liaison with the United States Army Corps of Engineers on projects under § 107 of the Rivers and Harbors Act;
5. (5) Prepare requests for appropriation of funds necessary to pay the State's share of the cost of projects;
6. (6) Administer the Waterway Improvement Fund to provide interest-free loans to any governing body for a waterway improvement project as provided in § 8-708(d) of this subtitle; and
7. (7) Administer the Waterway Improvement Fund to provide interest-free loans to a governing body for the benefit of a residential property owner, or group of residential property owners, with land abutting a channel adjacent to a main channel or harbor for dredging the adjacent channel as provided in § 8-708.1 of this subtitle.

The Department shall carry out the administrative duties concerning the waterways improvement districts. In addition, the Department shall:

Added by Acts 1973, 1st Sp. Sess., c. 4, § 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1974. Amended by Acts 1978, c. 983, § 2; Acts 1988, c. 551; Acts 1990, c. 6, § 2; Acts 1991, c. 55, § 1.

Formerly Art. 14B, § 12E.