72-5-12: Failure to comply with state engineer order; penalty.

Any owner of works for the diversion, storage, carriage or impoundment of water, his agent or employees, who, following notice to place such works in a safe condition as provided in Section 72-5-11 NMSA 1978, fails to take action specified by the state engineer within the time allowed, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. Any violation of this section shall be punishable by a fine of not more than two hundred fifty dollars ($250) for each offense or by imprisonment for a definite term not to exceed six months, or both. It is the duty of the state engineer to give prompt notice to the district attorney of the county in which the works are located in case of such violation. The district attorney shall at once proceed against the owner and all parties responsible therefor.