A comprehensive report and long-term strategy is being developed by the council to deal with the long-standing drainage problems caused by the creek.
The council said it was a natural watercourse with sections of open waterway and others confined within pipes of various sizes, materials and ages. It was only a council responsibility where it traversed council property.
An initial council report found modifications had been made to the creek to varying standards, and very little, if any, was believed to be up to required standards.
Parts of the creek ran through undersized pipes, some of them in poor condition.
Flooding occurred as the waterway capacity was inadequate to deal with peak discharges.
The long-standing drainage problem caused by Paterson Creek was brought to the council's attention by the West Otago Community Board last August.
At the time, board chairwoman Barbara Hanna said she knew of one property where the garage was flooded during heavy rain as a result of problems with the drain.
The council will carry out a ''comprehensive assessment'' of the existing infrastructure to provide a clearer picture before developing a long-term strategy.
