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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OBION RIVER | Tennessee | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1977 | 11,456 |
| OBION RIVER | Tennessee | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1977 | 11,456 |
| I-465 EB LICK CREEK | Indiana | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1962 | 11,454 |
| ROCK CREEK | Oregon | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1957 | 11,450 |
| LLAGAS CREEK | California | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1938 | 11,440 |
| LITTLE NORTHKILL CREEK | Pennsylvania | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1932 | 11,432 |
| NORMANS KILL | New York | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1930 | 11,427 |
| Mollala River | Oregon | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1963 | 11,423 |
| Molalla River | Oregon | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1936 | 11,423 |
| DENTON CREEK | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1959 | 11,420 |
| BRANCH PENNYPACK CREEK | Pennsylvania | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1973 | 11,408 |
| BRCH PENNYPACK CR/3259A2 | Pennsylvania | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1958 | 11,408 |
| Crooked Brook | New Jersey | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1925 | 11,393 |
| E FORK GOOSE CRK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1965 | 11,387 |
| BAYOU MANCHAC | Louisiana | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1972 | 11,384 |
| Mill Creek | Oregon | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1946 | 11,358 |
| OVER TROUT RUN | Pennsylvania | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1953 | 11,349 |
| CLIFTY CREEK | Indiana | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1962 | 11,344 |
| PROPHECY CREEK | Pennsylvania | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1926 | 11,333 |
| COX CREEK | Oregon | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1940 | 11,330 |
| STILL RIVER | Connecticut | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1960 | 11,320 |
| OLD OBION RV DRAIN CAN | Tennessee | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1978 | 11,306 |
| OVERFLOW | Tennessee | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1978 | 11,306 |
| OVERFLOW | Tennessee | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1978 | 11,306 |
| OBION RIVER | Tennessee | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1978 | 11,306 |
| OLD OBION RV DRAIN CAN | Tennessee | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1978 | 11,306 |
| OBION RIVER | Tennessee | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1978 | 11,306 |
| OBION RIVER | Tennessee | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1978 | 11,306 |
| OBION RIVER | Tennessee | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1978 | 11,306 |
| SAVANNAH RIVER | South Carolina | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1968 | 11,300 |
| SAVANNAH RIVER | Georgia | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1968 | 11,300 |
| WAIMEA RIVER | Hawaii | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1940 | 11,300 |
| CORTADORA CREEK | Puerto Rico | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1918 | 11,300 |
| LEMON BAY ICWW | Florida | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1965 | 11,300 |
| GILLS CREEK | South Carolina | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1941 | 11,300 |
| GUANAJIBO RIVER | Puerto Rico | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1969 | 11,300 |
| ST JOSEPH RIVER | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1954 | 11,300 |
| Boca Inlet | Florida | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1963 | 11,300 |
| SWARTZ CREEK | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1969 | 11,275 |
| TRIB TO BUFFALO CREEK | Pennsylvania | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1960 | 11,269 |
| CHESTNUT BRANCH | Tennessee | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1961 | 11,265 |
| MUD CREEK | Tennessee | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1961 | 11,265 |
| MUD CREEK | Tennessee | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1984 | 11,265 |
| CHESTNUT BRANCH | Tennessee | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1984 | 11,265 |
| KELSO CREEK | Indiana | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1967 | 11,254 |
| KELSO CREEK | Indiana | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1967 | 11,254 |
| RIO DEL OSO | New Mexico | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1964 | 11,253 |
| WHITE RIVER | Indiana | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1996 | 11,250 |
| SHREWSBURY RIVER | New Jersey | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1950 | 11,230 |
| COON CREEK | Minnesota | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1990 | 11,229 |
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.