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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Potrero Creek | Arizona | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1979 | 6,783 |
| ELLIS RIVER | New Hampshire | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1938 | 6,773 |
| SAW MILL RUN 3255K10 | Pennsylvania | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1967 | 6,770 |
| SWALE CREEK | Washington | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1960 | 6,760 |
| MENOMINEE RIVER | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1981 | 6,759 |
| PORTNEUF RIVER | Idaho | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1968 | 6,750 |
| PORTNEUF RIVER | Idaho | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1968 | 6,750 |
| LONG CREEK | Kansas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1973 | 6,750 |
| Grindy Creek | Oregon | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1960 | 6,737 |
| SALMON BROOK | Connecticut | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1947 | 6,730 |
| VIEKE DITCH | Indiana | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1967 | 6,725 |
| VIEKE DITCH | Indiana | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1967 | 6,725 |
| Cox Creek | Oregon | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1940 | 6,722 |
| BROCK CREEK / 3151-E2 | Pennsylvania | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1961 | 6,721 |
| ZANZABAR CANAL | Florida | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1974 | 6,720 |
| ZANZABAR CANAL | Florida | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1974 | 6,720 |
| MARCUS HOOK CREEK/3806A7 | Pennsylvania | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1928 | 6,717 |
| CHARTIERS CREEK | Pennsylvania | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1934 | 6,711 |
| Cherry Creek | Arizona | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1967 | 6,709 |
| POHATCONG CREEK | New Jersey | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1931 | 6,708 |
| CHEBOYGAN & BRANCHES DRN | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1939 | 6,701 |
| ANDERSON CREEK | Washington | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1933 | 6,701 |
| WAIKAUMALO STRM | Hawaii | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1952 | 6,700 |
| HAKALAU STRM | Hawaii | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1953 | 6,700 |
| MOANALULU STRM | Hawaii | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1956 | 6,700 |
| KAHOLO STRM | Hawaii | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1935 | 6,700 |
| BR SORENSONS CREEK | Wisconsin | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1948 | 6,700 |
| GILLS CREEK | South Carolina | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1973 | 6,700 |
| TRIB TO REEDY RIVER | South Carolina | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1958 | 6,700 |
| BRUSHY CREEK | South Carolina | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1975 | 6,700 |
| BOISE RIVER(BARBER BR) | Idaho | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1954 | 6,700 |
| TRIB TO REEDY RIVER | South Carolina | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1958 | 6,700 |
| SPANISH CREEK | California | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1964 | 6,700 |
| TRIB TO BRUSHY CK | South Carolina | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1966 | 6,700 |
| ROWLETT CREEK BRANCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 2005 | 6,699 |
| SILVER CREEK | Washington | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 2003 | 6,690 |
| OWL CREEK | Indiana | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1966 | 6,684 |
| GALLINAS RIVER | New Mexico | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1909 | 6,684 |
| Agua Fria River | Arizona | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1972 | 6,675 |
| BR.OF EAST BR.WHITE CLAY | Pennsylvania | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1937 | 6,672 |
| CEDAR CREEK | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1935 | 6,670 |
| E FK WHITE RIVER OVFL | Indiana | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1990 | 6,667 |
| WABASH RIVER | Indiana | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1977 | 6,650 |
| BROOKER CREEK | Florida | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1984 | 6,649 |
| S BR MACON RIVER | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1953 | 6,646 |
| S PRAIRIE CREEK | Washington | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1969 | 6,643 |
| OVER EIGHT MILE CREEK | Pennsylvania | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1930 | 6,635 |
| BEAVER BROOK | New Hampshire | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1920 | 6,622 |
| N FORK NEW RIVER | Florida | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1925 | 6,618 |
| CHIPPEWA RIVER | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1934 | 6,611 |
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.