All the sectors of the catchment area most vulnerable to diffuse pollution. It corresponds to a realistic intervention scale to improve the quality of water at the catchment. Depending on the type of catchment and its environment, there may be one or more distinct zones.
Area identified by the intersection of the cartographic zoning of intrinsic vulnerability and the zoning of agricultural pressures developed following technical-economic studies focused on risk assessment. The catchment area protection area is identified as part of the definition of action programs on catchment areas. This is an optional process leading to the identification of an area subject to environmental constraints (ZSCE), the protection area of the catchment area. The founding regulatory text of the catchment area protection zone is the departmental decree delimiting this same zone.