The Cuzna and Gato Rivers run through the Pedroches region, in the area bordering the mountains and the Guadalquivir Valley region. The Gato River joins the Cuzna River and this, in turn, empties into the Guadalmellato reservoir. They do not encompass said rivers in their entirety, but partly. The start of the Cuzna and Gato Rivers Special Area of Conservation is 40 kilometres northeast of Cordoba capital, running for approximately 30 kilometres and covering an area of 205.20 hectares in the municipalities of Obejo, Pozoblanco and Villanueva de Córdoba.

On the Cuzna and Gato Rivers SAC banks, there is a well-preserved riverine forest. It has patchy sections of ash groves, mixed with the occasional alder, and other areas which are dominated by tamarisk, oleanders, ash trees, willows and poplars, which often form mosaics. These ash groves are notable for the abundance of olive trees and oleanders, and there are also signs of submerged aquatic communities of buttercups.

The Cuzna River is one of the few natural rivers that exists in Sierra Morena, and Andalusia, that has not been altered by man. It waters therefore serve as a reference of the conditions of the different masses of water in the Guadalquivir basin, and are classified as an Outstanding Fluvial Area for their ecological and landscape value.

Wildlife in the SAC is abundant and varied, with diverse species typical of the environment, such as invertebrates and amphibians, as well as aquatic birds such as the kingfisher. Particularly of note is the passerine species linked to the riverine forest. It has a natural, sinuous channel that undergoes strong flooding in winter, and is then conserved in large ponds during the summer months.
The most significant species within the SAC are fish, such as the Cobitis paludica, Iberochondrostoma lemmingii, and barbel. Characteristic species of river ecosystems also stand out. The otter, for example. A species that largely depends on riverbank vegetation.