Catchment Feeding Area in Maine-et-Loire(49)

In response to the requirements of the Water Framework Directive, the Water and Aquatic Environments Act of 30/12/06 strengthened the control of diffuse pollution of agricultural origin by introducing the concept of a catchment feeding area (ACA). The catchment foraging area (ACA) is defined on a hydrological or hydrogeological basis. It corresponds to the areas on which the water which infiltrates or flows contributes to the supply of water from which the water is taken. Thus, the AAFC corresponds to: • for a sampling structure intended for drinking water in surface water: to the sub-watershed upstream of the water intake(s), if any, supplemented by the area concerned by the supply of groundwater outside that catchment area (e.g. base tablecloth or accompanying tablecloth of watercourses), • for a sampling structure intended for drinking water in groundwater: to the water supply basin of the water point(s) (the location of the points on the surface of the soil that contribute to the supply of the catchment). The concepts of “foraging area” and “fewer basin” of catchments (AAFC, LAC) are considered synonymous here. The AAFC may concern several sampling works, but the AAFC will be by water category (surface water, groundwater,...) The AAFC does not have a regulatory definition. The AAFC is linked to a single basin administrative district. The basin circumscription will be that of the municipality of the main sampling point of the (reference) sampling structure associated with the AAFC. In addition, SDAGEs define so-called “priority” catchments on which these AAFC definition and associated action plans must be put in place as a matter of priority. In Maine and Loire, 11 catchments are classified as “priority”.