The document discusses water and forests in the Rhône-Alpes region of France. It describes the major rivers including the Rhône and Saône, as well as the Alpes and Massif Central mountains. Forests cover one third of the region and act as water reservoirs, filtering and cleaning water. However, pollution from constructions, factories, and waste along the rivers threatens water quality. In 2000 the European Union adopted a water protection law to address these issues.