ABSTRACT: The article evaluates the practical experiences gained with regard to the decree goveming the protective zones for water resources from the year 1999. The introduction of a risk assessment into the process of proposing protective zones has been positively received. The negative effects of the decree are mainly associated with the insufficient and unspecific requirements, which the proposed protective zone must fulfil. The financial compensation of the proprietors of the land, which are affected by the introduction of the protective zone, has not been resolved. The present trend in the Czech Republic is for smaller sized protective zones, which are often divided into partial zones with varying requirements.