The next stage to set minimum flows for Trotter's Creek, just south of Moeraki, will take place in about two months, following on from a public meeting organised by the Otago Regional Council on Tuesday night.
That meeting, attended by about 25 people, looked at the values of the creek, which the council would correlate before considering setting minimum flows.
The council's director of policy and resource planning, Fraser McRae, yesterday said values included irrigation, domestic and stock water supplies through to recreation, picnicking, tramping, camping and riding both mountain bikes and trail bikes.
Two distinct areas of values emerged - in the creek's upper reaches in Trotter's Gorge and its lowland area.
The council has modelled creek flows and had access to data from one water take.
Mr McRae said the council would ‘‘start to put figures around'' possible minimum flows after studying the values.
Once that information was available, it would be taken back to another public meeting.
People at Tuesday's meeting included farmers, lifestyle block owners, residents, the Department of Conservation and the Central South Island Fish and Game
