The council has spent about $3 million considering appropriate minimum flows for the Manuherikia River for the plan.
Cr Alan Somerville said he was optimistic the council would establish good environmental protection.
Cr Tim Mepham said the most important thing was that the river was healthy: “That has to be the driving force”.
Marian Hobbs, former environment minister and a previous chairwoman of the council, said her hope was that now, “with a much stronger, environmentally conscious council”, a way forward could be agreed.
The Manuherikia River in northern Central Otago supplies a catchment across the Manuherikia and Ida Valleys.
The minimum flow settings, the level below which permitted abstraction must cease, have been hotly disputed for years - views polarised between those who want to retain water abstraction rights and people wanting more water left in the river.
Hobbs was ousted from her position as chairwoman of the council during the wrangles.
An updated hydrologist report, commissioned through a Technical Advisory Group convened by the council - and causing the two-year wait - will be presented to councillors in August, along with flow recommendations.
Policy and science general manager Anita Dawe said there would also be a further public consultation later this year.
Fish & Game environmental officer Nigel Paragreen said he was pleased to see movement towards resolving issues after a 2021 consultation found strong public favour for a high minimum flow.
“Many of those people did not come from the catchment but had strong connections with the river.
“Afterwards we saw some leaders, including councillors, trying to discriminate against those voices,” he said.
“I hope the ORC gives all voices a fair hearing in the next consultation,” Paragreen said.
Some councillors said the work over the past two years was time well spent in preparation for the council’s land and water plan.
Others expressed frustration at the delays.
Chairwoman Cr Gretchen Robertson said the council had been ensuring the most robust case possible was put forward.
Cr Andrew Noone said the “extra step or two” taken over the past two years to prepare the report was worth it if the outcome was more robust decision-making.
“This a complex catchment and the idea of making decisions without defendable science would be foolish.
“This is significant not just for the river but for decision-making across the whole region and a significant step towards fulfilling our obligations within the plan.
Hobbs said decisions had been unreasonably delayed for the past two years because “people did not work together”.
“The hope is ORC can bring the community together now, as it is trying to do, including those farmers who irrigate and those who do not.
“It’s really important that all voices are heard.”
Cr Alexa Forbes said she was “really disappointed” with how long the work had taken, given there were other catchments to be considered.
“Upping the flow a little bit won’t help - it has got to be a lot to make a difference.
“It is difficult when it is going to impact negatively some people’s livelihoods, but it has to be done.
“Change can be painful, but it has to happen,” she said.
The council has issued short-term water allocation permits to irrigators because long-term permits can only be issued once the minimum level is agreed.
Cr Gary Kelliher, a Manuherikia Valley farmer, said he expected councillors to be presented with a minimum level that was “too high for water users”.
Higher flow levels supported by environmental groups were “nonsense numbers”, he said.
“All the efforts to bring us together were never going to work.
“The sooner we know the number, the sooner we know what we are fighting,” he said.
