In light of the flood event in June 2013, local disputes of flood risk reduction measures became a public concern in Germany, as it was argued that these controversies delayed the implementation of flood defence schemes and thus aggravated the flood impacts. However, actual knowledge about such disputes is generally quite limited. Therefore, this paper uses different empirical approaches to present first an explorative overview of such ongoing controversies with a focus on the measures under dispute and their geographical distribution. Second, current insights in the disputes are delineated, and the following four central conflict lines are expounded: (1) the desire for safety, (2) arguments of nature and landscape protection, (3) questions regarding economic development, and (4) participation issues. The results are discussed comprehensively, and conclusions are drawn regarding further research as well as planning practice in the field of risk reduction measures.