(1) Upon action by the board establishing a deadline or granting an extension of time, the department shall prepare a notice containing the facts pertinent to the order and shall publish the notice once in a newspaper of general circulation in the area of the identified watercourse.

(2) Before the date of publication, the department shall serve the notice by first-class mail upon:

(a) appropriators of water according to the records of the department who may be affected by the board action.

(b) any purchaser under contract for deed, as defined in 70-20-155, MCA, of the property that may be affected by the board action.

(c) any other person or agency the department feels may be interested in or affected by the board action.

(3) The department shall file in its records proof of service by affidavit of the publisher in the case of notice by publication and by its own affidavit in the case of service by mail.