Scour Critical Bridges
23,522 bridges across the US at risk from water erosion around foundations.
Scour Critical Bridges
Scour is the erosion of soil and rock around a bridge's foundation caused by moving water. When foundations are exposed or undermined, a bridge can collapse even if its deck and superstructure are in good condition. Scour is the leading cause of bridge failures in the US. These 23,522 bridges have been identified as vulnerable to scour damage.
| Bridge | State | Scour Status | Condition | Year Built | ADT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KRUME DITCH | California | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1967 | 23,100 |
| ORRIS DITCH | California | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1967 | 23,100 |
| SULTAN RIVER | Washington | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1940 | 23,022 |
| TARO DITCH | California | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1967 | 23,000 |
| TARO DITCH | California | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1967 | 23,000 |
| Reed Canal | Florida | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1931 | 23,000 |
| BULA DITCH | California | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1967 | 23,000 |
| BULA DITCH | California | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1967 | 23,000 |
| UNION DITCH | California | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1967 | 23,000 |
| UNION DITCH | California | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1967 | 23,000 |
| SHANTY DITCH | California | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1967 | 23,000 |
| SHANTY DITCH | California | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1967 | 23,000 |
| AJAX DITCH | California | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1967 | 23,000 |
| AJAX DITCH | California | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1967 | 23,000 |
| Dania Cut-Off Canal | Florida | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1984 | 23,000 |
| ST MARYS RIVER & PARK TR | Indiana | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1972 | 23,000 |
| ORRIS DITCH | California | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1967 | 23,000 |
| DETERMINATION DITCH | California | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1967 | 23,000 |
| DETERMINATION DITCH | California | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1967 | 23,000 |
| Rillito River | Arizona | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1971 | 22,976 |
| W.BR. RAHWAY RIVER | New Jersey | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1938 | 22,864 |
| RTE 405 605 CONN RIV | California | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1966 | 22,800 |
| SUGAR CREEK | Indiana | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1963 | 22,769 |
| HERRING RUN | Maryland | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1925 | 22,752 |
| WACCAMAW RIV SCLRR L-123 | South Carolina | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1937 | 22,700 |
| JACAGUAS RIVER | Puerto Rico | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1970 | 22,700 |
| SHIAWASSEE RIVER | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1970 | 22,689 |
| S BR SHIAWASSEE RIVER | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1962 | 22,592 |
| S BR SHIAWASSEE RIVER | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1962 | 22,592 |
| Yamhill River | Oregon | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1957 | 22,538 |
| INTRACOASTAL W/W | North Carolina | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1956 | 22,500 |
| WATER CHARLES RIVER | Massachusetts | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1860 | 22,500 |
| NEW RIVER & NEW RVR DRS | Florida | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1960 | 22,500 |
| SAN JACINTO RIVER | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1988 | 22,475 |
| DAWSON CR.BRG.(ACADIAN) | Louisiana | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1964 | 22,447 |
| MILL BRANCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1969 | 22,365 |
| Donkey Creek | Wyoming | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1975 | 22,352 |
| ELM CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1957 | 22,330 |
| MILL CREEK | Pennsylvania | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1970 | 22,307 |
| CONNECTICUT RIVER NECRR | New Hampshire | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1966 | 22,288 |
| MISSOURI RVR BNSF RR | Missouri | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1979 | 22,278 |
| PINE CREEK | Pennsylvania | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1912 | 22,269 |
| SHINNECOCK CANAL | New York | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1970 | 22,230 |
| SOUTH BR RARITAN RIVER | New Jersey | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1928 | 22,203 |
| TRUCKEE RIVER | Nevada | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1971 | 22,200 |
| SIMONSONS CHANNEL | New York | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1961 | 22,162 |
| FIVE MILE RUN | New Jersey | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1928 | 22,136 |
| BROWN DITCH | Indiana | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1964 | 22,124 |
| JESSE LITTLE DITCH | Indiana | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1964 | 22,124 |
| MAHONNEY CREEK | Pennsylvania | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1937 | 22,116 |
Scour Critical Bridges by State
States ranked by number of scour critical bridges.
| State | Scour Critical | Unaddressed | Countermeasures | Ineffective |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 3,912 | 75 | 516 | 3,321 |
| Pennsylvania | 2,233 | 45 | 2,187 | 1 |
| Louisiana | 1,302 | 13 | 1,288 | 1 |
| South Carolina | 1,263 | 0 | 1,217 | 46 |
| Oregon | 1,231 | 4 | 1,221 | 6 |
| Michigan | 1,081 | 14 | 1,062 | 5 |
| Nebraska | 962 | 224 | 732 | 6 |
| New York | 864 | 9 | 780 | 75 |
| Indiana | 756 | 7 | 749 | 0 |
| Wisconsin | 751 | 0 | 748 | 3 |
| Kansas | 638 | 9 | 626 | 3 |
| California | 623 | 27 | 562 | 34 |
| Tennessee | 581 | 12 | 569 | 0 |
| Washington | 516 | 14 | 487 | 15 |
| Puerto Rico | 496 | 9 | 487 | 0 |
| Alabama | 450 | 1 | 423 | 26 |
| Iowa | 392 | 3 | 385 | 4 |
| New Jersey | 362 | 2 | 360 | 0 |
| Florida | 357 | 4 | 339 | 14 |
| Oklahoma | 317 | 33 | 283 | 1 |
| Missouri | 312 | 4 | 307 | 1 |
| Mississippi | 301 | 6 | 286 | 9 |
| Connecticut | 279 | 0 | 276 | 3 |
| Minnesota | 257 | 38 | 202 | 17 |
| Vermont | 242 | 0 | 240 | 2 |
| Colorado | 241 | 3 | 238 | 0 |
| Idaho | 215 | 18 | 186 | 11 |
| South Dakota | 207 | 3 | 203 | 1 |
| Arkansas | 187 | 3 | 129 | 55 |
| Massachusetts | 166 | 15 | 106 | 45 |
| Montana | 166 | 13 | 140 | 13 |
| Arizona | 164 | 2 | 160 | 2 |
| West Virginia | 160 | 2 | 98 | 60 |
| Alaska | 159 | 1 | 146 | 12 |
| Maine | 140 | 13 | 126 | 1 |
| North Carolina | 130 | 9 | 105 | 16 |
| New Mexico | 127 | 4 | 114 | 9 |
| North Dakota | 102 | 14 | 87 | 1 |
| Utah | 100 | 6 | 82 | 12 |
| Georgia | 99 | 1 | 81 | 17 |
| Illinois | 99 | 3 | 85 | 11 |
| Nevada | 94 | 0 | 85 | 9 |
| Rhode Island | 94 | 0 | 93 | 1 |
| New Hampshire | 86 | 2 | 78 | 6 |
| Hawaii | 83 | 0 | 82 | 1 |
| Kentucky | 56 | 16 | 39 | 1 |
| Maryland | 54 | 1 | 51 | 2 |
| Wyoming | 51 | 1 | 48 | 2 |
| Delaware | 39 | 0 | 39 | 0 |
| Ohio | 12 | 2 | 4 | 6 |
| Virginia | 8 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| District of Columbia | 5 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
Scour Critical Rating Codes
| Code 2 — Unaddressed | Bridge is scour critical with no countermeasures installed. The foundation is vulnerable and no protective action has been taken. |
| Code 3 — Countermeasures Installed | Protective measures (riprap, sheet piling, etc.) have been installed to reduce scour risk, but the bridge remains classified as scour critical. |
| Code 6 — Countermeasures Ineffective | Protective measures were installed but have been assessed as ineffective. The bridge requires re-evaluation and additional action. |
About Scour Critical Bridges
Scour critical bridges have been identified through underwater inspection or analysis as having foundations that are unstable or could become unstable during flood conditions. FHWA requires action plans for all scour critical bridges. Famous scour failures include the 1987 Schoharie Creek Bridge collapse in New York.