The Department shall carry out the administrative duties concerning the waterways improvement districts. In addition, the Department shall:
(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) Provide engineering design for waterways projects and supervise or provide supervision for these projects;
(3) Clear debris, aquatic vegetation, and obstructions from waters of the State;
(4) Provide liaison with the United States Army Corps of Engineers on projects under § 107 of the Rivers and Harbors Act;
(5) Prepare requests for appropriation of funds necessary to pay the State’s share of the cost of projects;
(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) 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">8-708.1 of this subtitle.