These regulations provide for the comprehensive regulation and supervision of dams in order to reasonably secure safety to life and property pursuant to chapters 43.21A, 43.27A, 86.16, 90.03, 90.28, and 90.54 RCW. The purposes of these regulations are to:

(1) Designate the types of dams to which these regulations are applicable;

(2) Provide for the design, construction, operation, maintenance, and supervision of dams in a manner consistent with accepted engineering practice;

(3) Establish and administer a program for permitting of construction work for new dams and for modifications of existing dams;

(4) Establish a fee schedule based on dam size that will reflect the actual cost to the department of engineering review of plans and specifications and for construction inspections;

(5) Establish the requirements and owner responsibilities for developing and executing plans for operation and maintenance, owner inspection and emergency actions; and

(6) Establish a program for the periodic inspection by the department of existing dams, and a fee schedule for these inspections based on downstream hazard classification and frequency of inspections. This fee schedule will reflect the actual cost to the department.