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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VAN BRUNT CREEK | Pennsylvania | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1940 | 6,398 |
| YELLOWSTONE RIVER | Montana | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1962 | 6,397 |
| YELLOWSTONE RIVER | Montana | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1962 | 6,397 |
| Nehalem River | Oregon | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1940 | 6,383 |
| Wolf Creek | Oregon | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1938 | 6,383 |
| CHENIERE CREEK | Louisiana | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 2000 | 6,382 |
| S. FK. FORKED DEER RIVER | Tennessee | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1931 | 6,381 |
| JACKS CREEK | Tennessee | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1931 | 6,381 |
| FLATROCK RIVER | Indiana | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1983 | 6,380 |
| KIMBERLIN CREEK | Indiana | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1924 | 6,375 |
| JORDAN CREEK | Indiana | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1933 | 6,373 |
| SCULLS CREEK | Georgia | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1960 | 6,370 |
| RICHARDSON CREEK | Georgia | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 2006 | 6,370 |
| AQUETONG CREEK | Pennsylvania | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1959 | 6,360 |
| CROOKED OAK CREEK | Oklahoma | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1950 | 6,350 |
| BRANCH MONTOUR RUN | Pennsylvania | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1948 | 6,349 |
| BRANCH OF MONTOUR RUN | Pennsylvania | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1948 | 6,349 |
| SAW MILL RUN STREAM | Pennsylvania | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1920 | 6,348 |
| Abiqua Creek | Oregon | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1934 | 6,347 |
| PANTHER CREEK | Oregon | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1958 | 6,338 |
| COBBS CREEK | Pennsylvania | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1906 | 6,335 |
| FLINT RIVER | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1965 | 6,331 |
| MARIA CREEK | Indiana | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1971 | 6,328 |
| MARIA CREEK | Indiana | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1971 | 6,328 |
| Verde River | Arizona | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1975 | 6,328 |
| 22 MI RD & PARIS CREEK | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1984 | 6,322 |
| 22 MI RD & PARIS CREEK | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1984 | 6,322 |
| WILLAMETTE RIVER | Oregon | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1955 | 6,321 |
| Canal C-103 Mowry | Florida | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1966 | 6,320 |
| South Fork Rock Creek | Oregon | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1975 | 6,320 |
| SCHUYLKILL RIVER | Pennsylvania | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1916 | 6,319 |
| BAYOU CASTOR | Louisiana | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1951 | 6,314 |
| IH30 & Trinity River RR | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1911 | 6,304 |
| CRETE CANAL | Florida | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1975 | 6,300 |
| CUDDY CREEK | California | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1970 | 6,300 |
| THREE & TWENTY CREEK | South Carolina | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1949 | 6,300 |
| LAJAS CREEK | Puerto Rico | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1939 | 6,300 |
| HOLSTON CREEK | South Carolina | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1931 | 6,300 |
| JACAGUAS RIVER | Puerto Rico | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1970 | 6,300 |
| BERRACO CREEK | Puerto Rico | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1940 | 6,300 |
| GUAYABOTA CREEK | Puerto Rico | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1940 | 6,300 |
| RICKETTS BRANCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1987 | 6,294 |
| RICKETTS BRANCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1987 | 6,294 |
| THORNAPPLE RIVER | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1967 | 6,293 |
| ABRAHAMS CREEK | Pennsylvania | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1962 | 6,292 |
| Crow Creek | Oregon | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1921 | 6,255 |
| MISS RIV/FAU 9416 | Illinois | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1942 | 6,250 |
| PONCHATOULA CREEK | Louisiana | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1956 | 6,250 |
| S.FK.COEUR DALENE RIVER | Idaho | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1969 | 6,250 |
| S.FK.COEUR DALENE RIVER | Idaho | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1969 | 6,250 |
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.