On the basis of the archival materials the author focuses on the Styrian-Croatian border river Drava (between Ormož and Središče) at the end of the 18th century, when (due to the river bed changes) the competent authorities under Maria Theresa and Joseph II started to focus on the consequent border disputes. After the massive floods of the river Drava in the 18th century, the border residents who suffered damages (on the Styrian side) complained more and more frequently, trying to solve the situation at hand. The author is specifically interested in how the river bed changes influenced the life of the residents of the areas by the river and how these people solved the mutual local disputes at the turn of the century (before the border was agreed upon and drawn at the beginning of the 19th century).