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
FARR HWY/HONOULIULI STRM Hawaii Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1939 7,587
E FORK GOOSE CRK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1975 7,582
E FORK GOOSE CRK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1960 7,582
LACKAWAXEN RIVER Pennsylvania Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1943 7,579
S BR RAISIN RIVER Michigan Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1934 7,560
AQUILLA CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1939 7,556
PERSIMMON CREEK Alabama Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1927 7,550
SOUTH UMPQUA OVERFLOW Oregon Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Good 1963 7,548
TITTABAWASEE RIVER Michigan Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1932 7,544
Santiam River OFlow #4 Oregon Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1958 7,541
BRANCH PICKERING CREEK Pennsylvania Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Poor 1938 7,540
MUSKEGON RIVER Michigan Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Good 1996 7,526
BRUSHY BAYOU Louisiana Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1975 7,518
ITHAN CREEK Pennsylvania Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1922 7,516
FIVE MILE CREEK TRIB Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1974 7,512
FIVE MILE CREEK TRIB Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1974 7,512
M FORK WILDCAT CREEK Indiana Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Good 1990 7,510
FINLEY CREEK Indiana Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Poor 1958 7,502
NEWTON WASH California Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Poor 1970 7,500
EIGHT MILE CREEK Wisconsin Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1938 7,500
WHITTLESEY CREEK Wisconsin Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1954 7,500
ARDIS DITCH California Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1971 7,500
WOODS WASH California Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Poor 1970 7,500
WOODS WASH California Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Poor 1970 7,500
MCGINLEY WASH California Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Poor 1970 7,500
MCGINLEY WASH California Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Poor 1970 7,500
NEWTON WASH California Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Poor 1970 7,500
BLACK CYN WASH California Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Poor 1970 7,500
BLACK CYN WASH California Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Poor 1970 7,500
HALFWAY HILLS WASH California Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1970 7,500
CLEAR CREEK Colorado Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1950 7,500
BLIND HILLS WASH California Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Poor 1970 7,500
BLIND HILLS WASH California Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Poor 1970 7,500
GUAYNABO RIVER Puerto Rico Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1939 7,500
ARDIS DITCH California Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Poor 1971 7,500
NECK RIVER Connecticut Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1914 7,500
WOLF RUN Pennsylvania Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1938 7,498
DRAINAGE DITCH Indiana Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1930 7,495
BOGUE CHITTO RIVER Louisiana Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Good 1974 7,481
BOGUE CHITTO RV RELIEF Louisiana Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Good 1975 7,481
TRIB. TO KERSHNERS CREEK Pennsylvania Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1930 7,473
S BR TOBACCO RIVER Michigan Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1935 7,472
RIPPOWAM RIVER Connecticut Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1935 7,470
WHITE ROCK CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1986 7,469
MISSISSINEWA RIVER Indiana Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Poor 1910 7,460
DARBY CREEK Pennsylvania Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1905 7,453
WHALE MTN WASH California Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Good 1966 7,450
WHALE MTN WASH California Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Good 1966 7,450
SUWANNEE RIVER Florida Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1963 7,450
TANK TOWER DITCH California Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Poor 1971 7,450

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.