The department of water resources shall give public notice, in the official county newspaper or newspapers in the area of the state reasonably expected to be affected by operations conducted under a permit, that it is considering an application for such permit, and, if objection to the issuance of the permit is received by the department within twenty days, the department may hold a public hearing for the purpose of obtaining information from the public concerning the effects of issuing the permit. The department may hold such hearings upon its own motion.