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
MIDDLE FORK BOISE RIVER	Idaho	Scour Critical — Unaddressed	Poor	1957	20
S. FK. POTTAWATOMIE CK.	Kansas	Scour Critical — Unaddressed	Fair	1930	20
TRIB. TO HINTON CREEK	Kansas	Scour Critical — Unaddressed	Poor	1926	20
BAKER BR	Missouri	Scour Critical — Unaddressed	Poor	1930	20
PLUM CREEK	Nebraska	Scour Critical — Unaddressed	Good	1975	20
STREAM	Nebraska	Scour Critical — Unaddressed	Poor	1935	20
STREAM	Nebraska	Scour Critical — Unaddressed	Poor	1935	20
MIDDLE OAK CREEK	Nebraska	Scour Critical — Unaddressed	Poor	1935	20
SOUTH FORK PINE CREEK	Washington	Scour Critical — Unaddressed	Fair	1918	20
STREAM	Nebraska	Scour Critical — Unaddressed	Fair	1989	20
NORTH LOGAN CREEK	Nebraska	Scour Critical — Unaddressed	Poor	1935	20
EAST MUDDY CREEK	Nebraska	Scour Critical — Unaddressed	Poor	1915	20
LITTLE SANDY CREEK	Nebraska	Scour Critical — Unaddressed	Poor	1935	20
DEER CREEK	Nebraska	Scour Critical — Unaddressed	Poor	1910	20
LOST BRANCH	Nebraska	Scour Critical — Unaddressed	Poor	1935	20
BREWERS BRANCH	Nebraska	Scour Critical — Unaddressed	Poor	1935	20
S FK LITTLE NEMAHA RIVER	Nebraska	Scour Critical — Unaddressed	Poor	1935	20
MUDDY CREEK	Nebraska	Scour Critical — Unaddressed	Poor	1935	20
WILSON CREEK	Nebraska	Scour Critical — Unaddressed	Poor	1910	20
ELK CREEK	Nebraska	Scour Critical — Unaddressed	Poor	1935	20
STREAM	Nebraska	Scour Critical — Unaddressed	Poor	1935	20
WILLOW CREEK	Nebraska	Scour Critical — Unaddressed	Poor	1935	20
STREAM	Nebraska	Scour Critical — Unaddressed	Poor	1935	20
East Low 68 Mile Lateral	Washington	Scour Critical — Unaddressed	Fair	1953	20
COTTONWOOD CREEK	Nebraska	Scour Critical — Unaddressed	Poor	1910	20
PAYNE CREEK	Nebraska	Scour Critical — Unaddressed	Poor	1935	20
STREAM	Nebraska	Scour Critical — Unaddressed	Poor	1935	20
LOGAN CREEK	Nebraska	Scour Critical — Unaddressed	Poor	1935	20
STREAM	Nebraska	Scour Critical — Unaddressed	Poor	1935	20
W FK BIG BLUE RIVER	Nebraska	Scour Critical — Unaddressed	Fair	1935	20
SOUTH TOE RIVER	North Carolina	Scour Critical — Unaddressed	Poor	1950	20
NORTH BRANCH GOOSE RIVER	North Dakota	Scour Critical — Unaddressed	Good	1999	20
LITTLE MUDDY RIVER	North Dakota	Scour Critical — Unaddressed	Poor	1914	20
BROWNS CREEK	Pennsylvania	Scour Critical — Unaddressed	Poor	1919	20
Snow Creek	Texas	Scour Critical — Unaddressed	Fair	1992	20
PAWNEE CREEK	Kansas	Scour Critical — Unaddressed	Poor	1960	18
COTTONWOOD CREEK	North Dakota	Scour Critical — Unaddressed	Good	2020	18
IRRIGATION DITCH 005	Montana	Scour Critical — Unaddressed	Poor	1979	17
ROCK CREEK	Georgia	Scour Critical — Unaddressed	Poor	1975	15
CHADRON CREEK	Nebraska	Scour Critical — Unaddressed	Poor	1935	15
SOUTH CREEK TRIB	Nebraska	Scour Critical — Unaddressed	Poor	1935	15
HOOPER CREEK TRIB	Nebraska	Scour Critical — Unaddressed	Fair	1935	15
FLOOD CREEK	Nebraska	Scour Critical — Unaddressed	Poor	1901	15
N FK LITTLE NEMAHA RIVER	Nebraska	Scour Critical — Unaddressed	Poor	1911	15
TIPPS CREEK	Nebraska	Scour Critical — Unaddressed	Poor	1935	15
TRIBUTARY TO TAYLOR BRAN	Nebraska	Scour Critical — Unaddressed	Poor	1935	15
N FK ELKHORN RIVER	Nebraska	Scour Critical — Unaddressed	Fair	1935	15
STREAM	Nebraska	Scour Critical — Unaddressed	Poor	1935	15
COURTLAND CANAL	Nebraska	Scour Critical — Unaddressed	Poor	1935	15
WALNUT CREEK	Nebraska	Scour Critical — Unaddressed	Poor	1935	15

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.

All Bridges Poor Condition Historic Bridges Bridge Stats