J. MILLARD TAWES, Governor                     1379

duties. The Department is further authorized to contract for research
or scientific investigation with the Natural Resources Institute of
the University of Maryland, the Chesapeake Bay Institute of the
Johns Hopkins University or other appropriate research [organiza-
tion] organizations.

11.

From and after January 1, 1934, it shall be unlawful for the State
or any agency thereof, any person or persons, partnership, associa-
tion, private or public corporation, county, municipality, or other
political subdivision of the State, to appropriate or use any waters of
the State, surface or underground, without the consent or permit of
the Department [of Geology, Mines and Water Resources], in writing,
previously obtained, upon written application therefor to the Depart-
ment. Nothing in this section shall be construed to apply to the use of
water for domestic and farming purposes or to the use of water for
an approved water supply of any municipality; nor shall it apply to
any particular use in existence on January 1, 1934, provided such use
is not thereafter abandoned.

12.

(a) From and after January 1, 1934, it shall be unlawful for the
State or any agency thereof, any person or persons, partnership,
association, private or public corporation, county, municipality or
other political subdivision of the State, to construct, reconstruct or
repair any reservoir, dam or waterway obstruction; or to make or
construct, or permit to be made or constructed, any change therein or
addition thereto; or to make, or permit to be made, any change in,
addition to, or repair of, any existing waterway obstruction; or in any
manner to change or diminish the course, current, or cross-section of
any stream or body of water, wholly or partly, within this State,
except the tidal waters, without a permit from the Department [of
Geology, Mines and Water Resources], in writing, previously ob-
tained, upon written application therefor to said Department. Noth-
ing in this subsection shall be construed to apply to any dam or
obstruction which is ten feet or less in height above the elevation of
the stream bed or waterway, nor shall it apply to any reservoir with
a storage capacity of less than one million gallons, nor shall it apply
to any reservoir to be designed, constructed and operated as a waste
stabilization lagoon under permit of the State Department of Health,
nor shall it apply to any structure for the impounding of water,
less than four feet in depth, over tidal and non-tidal swamp lands
for the propagation of muskrats and other wildlife species.

13.

It shall be unlawful for the State or any agency thereof, any person
or persons, partnership, association, private or public corporation,
county, municipality or other political subdivision of the State to
construct, reconstruct, change, or make an addition to any conduit,
pipe line, wire cable, trestle or other device, structure or apparatus,
in, under, through or over the bed or waters of the Potomac River,
without obtaining a permit therefor from the Department [of
Geology, Mines and Water Resources]. The obtaining, use and hold-
ing of such a permit shall be subject severally to the provisions con-
cerning permits found elsewhere in this subtitle.