Urban riverscapes are facing diverse demands concerning riparian uses, ecological, economic and social functionalities, and aesthetic questions. One of the main challenges today is the implementation of an integrative perspective on riverscapes to overcome the horizontal frontiers of traditional water management (water governance) and urban planning (land governance). Led by the theoretical framework of planning culture, the article shows the different rationalities and governance approaches from a cultural perspective. Finally, two quite different local planning cultures are outlined to illustrate the cultural variety with which the challenges of sustainable urban riverscapes are managed. © 2014 International Water Resources Association.