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
GUADIANA RIVER Puerto Rico Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1958 18,600
TONQUISH CREEK Michigan Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Poor 1946 18,579
Pompton River New Jersey Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1887 18,571
BRAYS BAYOU Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Poor 1962 18,564
PLUM CREEK Indiana Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Poor 1962 18,535
BRANCH Tennessee Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1965 18,528
MILL CREEK Pennsylvania Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Poor 1929 18,527
ROGUE RIVER Oregon Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1931 18,505
MESCAL DITCH California Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Good 1963 18,500
CLARK MOUNTAIN DITCH California Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Good 1963 18,500
MOHAWK DITCH California Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Good 1963 18,500
STILL RIVER Connecticut Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Poor 1949 18,500
MICRO DITCH California Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1962 18,500
CLARK MOUNTAIN DITCH California Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Good 1963 18,500
WHEATON WASH California Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Poor 1963 18,500
Sweetwater Branch Florida Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Good 1962 18,500
GUANABANA CREEK Puerto Rico Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1924 18,500
MESCAL DITCH California Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Good 1963 18,500
SPARKILL CREEK New York Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1932 18,465
GUAYANILLA RIVER L ROAD Puerto Rico Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1970 18,450
LAKE SWAMP South Carolina Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1966 18,450
GUAYANILLA RIVER L ROAD Puerto Rico Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Poor 1970 18,450
LAKE SWAMP South Carolina Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1966 18,450
S BR FLINT RIVER Michigan Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Poor 1948 18,440
PLUM CREEK Indiana Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Poor 1962 18,431
San Antonio River Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1965 18,420
ACHIOTE CREEK Puerto Rico Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1967 18,400
HUMBOLDT RVR Nevada Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1979 18,400
NYBERG CREEK Oregon Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Good 1980 18,383
COOPER RIVER New Jersey Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1939 18,376
HURON RIVER Michigan Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Poor 1912 18,300
VERMILION RIVER Louisiana Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1954 18,293
MONTGOMERY CREEK Indiana Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1965 18,260
ROCKAWAY INLET New York Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1936 18,260
LYLE CREEK North Carolina Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Poor 1957 18,250
WATER MERRIMACK RIVER Massachusetts Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1937 18,230
COBBS CREEK Pennsylvania Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1924 18,222
COBBS CREEK Pennsylvania Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Poor 1924 18,222
S BR ROCKAWAY RIVER New Jersey Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Good 1945 18,219
GRANDE DE LOIZA RIVER Puerto Rico Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1973 18,200
SOUTH EDISTO RIVER South Carolina Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1970 18,200
SOUTH EDISTO RIVER South Carolina Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1970 18,200
BELL CREEK Michigan Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Poor 1925 18,173
EAST BR. BRANDYWINE CK. Pennsylvania Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Poor 1921 18,163
CSX TRANS/AMTRAK HUDSON New York Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Poor 1935 18,162
REYNOLDS CHANNEL ROADWA New York Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1952 18,147
BEAR CREEK Tennessee Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Poor 1928 18,146
WEST BRANCH BIG ELK CR. Pennsylvania Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1968 18,144
N BR TEN MILE CREEK Michigan Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1959 18,124
N BR TEN MILE CREEK Michigan Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1959 18,124

Scour Critical Bridges by State

States ranked by number of scour critical bridges.

StateScour CriticalUnaddressedCountermeasuresIneffective
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 — UnaddressedBridge is scour critical with no countermeasures installed. The foundation is vulnerable and no protective action has been taken.
Code 3 — Countermeasures InstalledProtective measures (riprap, sheet piling, etc.) have been installed to reduce scour risk, but the bridge remains classified as scour critical.
Code 6 — Countermeasures IneffectiveProtective 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.