(1) Every owner of a dam subject to the Safety of Dams and Reservoirs Act that was completed prior to September 4, 2005, and not previously approved by the department when departmental approval was otherwise required shall file an application with the department for approval of such dam.

(2) A separate application for each dam shall be filed with the department upon forms supplied by the department and shall include such appropriate information concerning the dam as the department requires.

(3) The department may give notice, by certified mail to the owner's last address of record in the office of the county assessor of the county in which the dam is located, to the owner of dams required under this section to file an application who or which have failed to do so, and a failure to file within sixty days after receipt of such notice shall be punishable as provided in the act.

(4) The department may make inspections of such dams and may require owners of such dams and reservoirs to perform, at the owner's expense, such work or tests as may reasonably be required to disclose information sufficient to enable the department to determine whether to issue an approval to operate or to issue orders directing further work at the owner's expense necessary to safeguard life and property. For this purpose, the department may require an owner to lower the water level of or to drain the reservoir.

(5) If, upon inspection or upon completion to the satisfaction of the department of all work ordered, the department finds that the dam is safe to impound, an approval to operate shall be issued.

(6) If at any time the department finds that the dam is not safe to impound, the department shall notify the owner in writing and shall set a time and place for hearing on the matter. The owner of such dam shall ensure that such dam does not impound following receipt of such notice. Written notice of the time and place of the hearing shall be mailed, at least thirty days prior to the date set for the hearing, to the owner. Any interested person may appear at the hearing and present his or her views and objections to the proposed action.