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
MILLSTONE RIVER New Jersey Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1970 12,700
VALENCIANO RIVER Puerto Rico Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1947 12,700
LITTLE OTTER CREEK Vermont Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1959 12,700
SOUTH BR OF CONEWAGO Pennsylvania Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1956 12,695
Willamette River Oregon Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Poor 1913 12,687
Willamette River Oregon Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Poor 1964 12,687
SWARTZ CREEK Michigan Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Poor 1938 12,678
KAELEPULU STREAM Hawaii Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1925 12,657
INDIAN CREEK Tennessee Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Good 1977 12,654
INDIAN CREEK Tennessee Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Good 1977 12,654
LITTLE WHITE LICK CREEK Indiana Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Good 1958 12,652
SWARTZ CREEK Michigan Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1966 12,640
WATER FRENCH RIVER Massachusetts Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1868 12,630
BLACKSTONE RIVER Rhode Island Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Poor 1928 12,626
WILLOW CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1982 12,614
BIG BROOK New Jersey Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Poor 1930 12,608
S. FORK MIDDLE RIVER Florida Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1923 12,600
LULU CREEK Florida Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1960 12,600
Little River Canal Florida Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Good 1970 12,600
SAN JOAQUIN RIVER California Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1959 12,585
COTTONWOOD CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1985 12,556
SILVER CREEK Oregon Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1974 12,536
LODAL CREEK Pennsylvania Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Poor 1950 12,530
SANTA ANA RIVER California Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1929 12,519
NORTH CR & GILLMAN TRAIL Washington Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Good 1960 12,517
NORTH CR & GILLMAN TRAIL Washington Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Good 1967 12,517
REPUBLICAN RIVER Kansas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1993 12,505
BLACKFOOT RIVER Idaho Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1962 12,500
BAYAMON RIVER Puerto Rico Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Poor 1955 12,500
AUBURN RAVINE California Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1923 12,500
HUTTO CREEK Indiana Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1926 12,500
BLACKFOOT RIVER Idaho Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1962 12,500
WHITE RIVER Indiana Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Good 1958 12,500
CHESTER CREEK Pennsylvania Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1946 12,485
MARTINDALE DITCH Indiana Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1966 12,481
MARTINDALE DITCH Indiana Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1966 12,481
CATASAUQUA CREEK Pennsylvania Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1947 12,475
PATOKA RIVER Indiana Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1957 12,449
PIGEON CREEK Pennsylvania Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1942 12,416
TOQUOP WASH Nevada Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Good 1954 12,400
LAWSON FORK CREEK South Carolina Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1962 12,400
TOQUOP WASH Nevada Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1965 12,400
CREEK Oklahoma Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Poor 1960 12,400
WABASH RIVER N CROSSING Indiana Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1988 12,389
QUASSIAC CREEK New York Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Good 1973 12,339
LOWRIES RUN Pennsylvania Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1914 12,322
GRAND RIVER Michigan Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1958 12,310
GRAND RIVER Michigan Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1958 12,310
CROSSWICKS CREEK New Jersey Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Poor 1941 12,309
PANTHER CREEK Pennsylvania Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1926 12,303

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.