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
RED CEDAR RIVER Michigan Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1963 17,675
SELSERS CREEK Louisiana Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1975 17,665
GRAND RIVER Michigan Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1948 17,638
NEW RIVER AND 5TH AVE Florida Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1964 17,600
CLEAR CREEK Oregon Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1957 17,600
WEST RIVER Connecticut Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Poor 1950 17,600
San Antonio River Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1965 17,600
WRECK POND New Jersey Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Good 1971 17,557
N BR OF RARITAN RIVER New Jersey Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1942 17,546
GREYS CREEK Louisiana Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Good 1956 17,500
Ventana Wash Arizona Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1967 17,470
South Yamhill River Oregon Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Good 1992 17,452
MAJADAS RIVER & PR 7 Puerto Rico Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Poor 1972 17,450
S BR RANCOCAS CREEK New Jersey Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1930 17,443
KAWKAWLIN RIVER Michigan Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1931 17,442
PINEY CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1963 17,409
SPROUT BROOK New Jersey Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1940 17,401
LITTLE SUGAR CREEK Indiana Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Good 1964 17,400
WOLF CREEK Kansas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1956 17,396
STRANGER CREEK Kansas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Good 1956 17,396
STRANGER CREEK Kansas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Good 1956 17,396
WOLF CREEK Kansas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Good 1956 17,396
BRANCH NESHAMINY CREEK Pennsylvania Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1973 17,386
SUSQ RIVER RR SR 2037 Pennsylvania Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Poor 1924 17,383
FIVE MILE CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1953 17,321
MERRIMACK RIVER New Hampshire Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1970 17,275
N BR. RARITAN RIVER New Jersey Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1942 17,240
TURKEY CREEK Tennessee Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1934 17,225
HCFCD P130-09-00 Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1967 17,217
Biscayne Canal C-8 Florida Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1964 17,200
LITTLE RIVER Connecticut Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1934 17,200
NORTH BR.NESHAMINY CREEK Pennsylvania Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1939 17,187
CROYS CREEK Indiana Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1966 17,165
CONTOOCOOK RIVER New Hampshire Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1961 17,117
KACHESS RIVER Washington Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Poor 1958 17,108
ORTEGA RIVER Florida Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1952 17,100
QUEBRADILLA CREEK Puerto Rico Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1964 17,100
CLE ELUM RIVER Washington Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1949 17,089
CLE ELUM RIVER Washington Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1962 17,089
TROUT/MASCHELLAMAC CREEK Pennsylvania Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Poor 1874 17,059
LYNCHES RIVER South Carolina Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1967 17,050
LYNCHES RIVER South Carolina Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1967 17,050
PLATEAU CREEK Colorado Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1965 17,000
SOUTH CREEK Florida Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1928 17,000
SNAKE RIVER;HEYBURN BR. Idaho Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1977 17,000
PLATEAU CREEK R Colorado Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1958 17,000
KALAMAZOO RIVER Michigan Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1994 17,000
West Brook Canal Florida Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Good 1960 17,000
STATE DRAIN Michigan Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1931 17,000
ROGUE R & WHITE PINE TRL Michigan Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1977 16,978

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.