(a) It shall be unlawful for any person to build, construct or maintain a dam, embankment or fill over or across any natural watercourse in the city for the purpose of impounding or diverting water, except upon full compliance with the requirements of this section.
(b) Before beginning the construction or building of any dam, embankment, fill or obstruction over or across a natural watercourse in the city, or doing any work in connection with the construction or building of such structure, a person is hereby required to present an application for a permit to do such construction work to the city council, and secure a permit from the city council, authorizing such construction. Such application shall be accompanied with a description of the project, showing its location, plans, specifications, distance from the nearest streets and thoroughfares and the approximate number of residences within a radius of 2,000 feet together with the general description of the topography of the surrounding area, and such other pertinent facts as may show that the water that is impounded or diverted will not constitute a menace to the health of the community, will not impair the natural drainage in the immediate area, and will not materially interfere with travel over and along streets and thoroughfares in the vicinity.
(c) NATURAL WATERCOURSES, as used in this section, shall mean and include any stream with bed and banks or any gully, ravine or valley through which water ordinarily flows, either regularly or intermittently.
(1964 Code, § 27-7)