The Laboreiro river marks the separation between Portugal and the Galician municipality of Entrimo (province of Ourense). It is located in the SCI (site of community importance) of "Baixa Limia" and in the Nature Park of "Baixa Limia- Serra do Xurés". It has an excellent status of ecological quality and its banks and margins are well preserved, so, , in the Spanish and Portuguese River Basin Management Plans, it has been proposed that they be Nature River Reserves.

This is a sparsely populated area with few villages and vast uninhabited areas, so it barely shows significant anthropogenic influences. In recent years, the rural tourism has been increased and consolidated, along with other activities related to the building industry, forestry and logging, poultry and pigs, the production and processing of meat products, dairy products (cheese) and the honey-making industry. In addition, Entrimo features a type of cattle unique within Galicia, which is called "Cacheno" and can only be found in this municipality and in some neighboring Portuguese villages.

Actions proposed regarding planning and management of water resources

The Water Plan 2010-2015 of the Spanish part of the Hydrographic Demarcation of the Miño Sil proposes the following: first, that by declaring the Laboreiro river a Nature River Reserve, it is necessary to provide the control and monitoring steps that will enable the preservation of the natural quality of both the river and the groundwater systems connected to it, giving priority to the criteria on the ecological quality specific to this basin in terms of its climatic, lithologic and biological characteristics, as well as carrying out the necessary analysis. In addition, the correct demarcation of the rivers must be ensured giving priority to the preservation of the banks and margins, and demarcating also the so called flood plains.

As it is located in a Natural Park, the management and exploitation of the Laboreiro river must comply with the regulations arising from this form of protection, in particular, with those established in the Decree 29/1993, of 11th February, which declares this area a Natural Park, as well as those regulations established in the Decree 64/2009, of the 19th of February, which passes the Land Use Regulations on Natural Resources and those established in the Decree 155/1998 of 28th of May (Official Gazette of Galicia num. 107 of 5th June), which passes the Land Use Planning and Management.

Likewise, the activities regarding cattle and forestry which contribute to the maintenance of essential ecological balances should be also objects of special protection. Secondly, as included in the SCI (site of community importance) of Baixa Limia, the management of the Laboreiro river must comply with the provisions arising from this form of protection, and in particular those contained in Decree 72/2004, which declares this space a Special Protection Area of ​​Natural Values. The mentioned provisions are as follows:

1) Obtaining prior authorization from the Department of Environment to carry out activities that may threaten the values ​​guaranteeing the protection of the Central Massif

2) Keeping the hunting regime as it was prior to its declaration as LIC (SCI), without prejudice to the existing national planning instruments otherwise provided.