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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NORTH ARCHIE CREEK | Florida | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1997 | 14,200 |
| GUATEMALA RIVER | Puerto Rico | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1940 | 14,200 |
| LICK CREEK | Indiana | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1963 | 14,181 |
| MORGAN CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1963 | 14,162 |
| GARDNERS CREEK | Pennsylvania | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1963 | 14,152 |
| North Fork Ash Creek | Oregon | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1954 | 14,149 |
| BARREN CREEK | Indiana | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1963 | 14,139 |
| BARREN CREEK | Indiana | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1963 | 14,139 |
| CROYS CREEK | Indiana | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1966 | 14,131 |
| OVER BENNYS RUN | Pennsylvania | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1947 | 14,116 |
| HWY 1 SB CONN 7 OFF RAMP | Oregon | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1963 | 14,116 |
| ABITA RIVER | Louisiana | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1972 | 14,110 |
| CHINCHUBA BRANCH | Louisiana | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1972 | 14,110 |
| CHANNEL | Puerto Rico | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1963 | 14,100 |
| DEEP FORK CREEK | Oklahoma | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1940 | 14,100 |
| JOHNSON CREEK | Oregon | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1935 | 14,100 |
| SINGLETON DITCH | Indiana | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1964 | 14,069 |
| DOE CREEK | Indiana | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1926 | 14,069 |
| Beaver Creek | Oregon | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1953 | 14,067 |
| SAN DIEGUITO RIVER | California | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1932 | 14,027 |
| INDIAN CREEK/ 3030F04 | Pennsylvania | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1930 | 14,013 |
| CROSS BAYOU | Louisiana | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1960 | 14,003 |
| MISSISSINEWA RIVER | Indiana | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1910 | 14,000 |
| SAN ANSELMO CREEK | California | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1940 | 14,000 |
| OLDFIELD CREEK | Florida | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1957 | 14,000 |
| GUADIANA RIVER | Puerto Rico | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1998 | 14,000 |
| Little Beaver Creek | Oregon | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1953 | 13,994 |
| STONY BROOK | New Jersey | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1958 | 13,979 |
| STONY BROOK | New Jersey | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1908 | 13,979 |
| VIRGIN RIVER | Utah | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1976 | 13,973 |
| WOLF CREEK | Oklahoma | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1977 | 13,970 |
| WHITE RIVER | Indiana | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1937 | 13,970 |
| TRUCKEE RVR | Nevada | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1961 | 13,950 |
| TRUCKEE RVR | Nevada | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1961 | 13,950 |
| WATER BEAVER BROOK | Massachusetts | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1921 | 13,913 |
| NORTH BR.NESHAMINY CREEK | Pennsylvania | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1948 | 13,911 |
| PEAVINE CREEK | Georgia | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1969 | 13,900 |
| JOES CREEK | Florida | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1981 | 13,900 |
| RED CEDAR RIVER | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1924 | 13,900 |
| CAMPBELL CR MINN DR S.B. | Alaska | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1985 | 13,900 |
| CAMPBELL CR MINN DR N.B. | Alaska | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1985 | 13,900 |
| HOHOKUS BROOK | New Jersey | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1904 | 13,889 |
| INTRACOASTAL WATERWAY | Florida | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1939 | 13,888 |
| NUUANU STRM | Hawaii | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1934 | 13,883 |
| SHELTON DITCH | Oregon | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1988 | 13,876 |
| WHITE ROCK CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1989 | 13,860 |
| WHITE ROCK CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1974 | 13,860 |
| E.FORK GOOSE CRK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1994 | 13,859 |
| COBBS CREEK | Pennsylvania | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1927 | 13,856 |
| WALLKILL RIVER TRIBUTARY | New Jersey | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1919 | 13,846 |
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.