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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BRANCH BUSSERON CREEK | Indiana | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1965 | 5,399 |
| KETTLE CREEK | Indiana | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1965 | 5,399 |
| LITTLE SPOKANE RIVER | Washington | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1953 | 5,394 |
| MUNCIE CREEK | Indiana | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1973 | 5,393 |
| CYPRESS CREEK | Tennessee | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1950 | 5,393 |
| BULLOCK CREEK | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 2020 | 5,390 |
| BROWNS CREEK | New York | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 2014 | 5,389 |
| LOOSAHATCHIE RIVER | Tennessee | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1947 | 5,388 |
| DIVERSION DITCH | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1946 | 5,387 |
| SUNDAY LAKE OUTLET | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1947 | 5,387 |
| MIDDLE CREEK | Kansas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1981 | 5,387 |
| LONGS BRANCH | Indiana | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1954 | 5,376 |
| Bobbys Run | New Jersey | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1992 | 5,376 |
| PARADISE CREEK | Pennsylvania | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1957 | 5,372 |
| BLACK BAYOU | Louisiana | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1971 | 5,367 |
| PERDIDO RIVER | Alabama | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1951 | 5,361 |
| HERMISTON DITCH | Oregon | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1977 | 5,360 |
| WATER MILL RIVER | Massachusetts | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1850 | 5,357 |
| CALAPOOIA RIVER | Oregon | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1960 | 5,356 |
| CLIFTON BAYOU | Louisiana | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1953 | 5,350 |
| BAYOU | Louisiana | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1953 | 5,350 |
| SALMON CREEK | New York | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1948 | 5,348 |
| BRANCH MILL CREEK | Indiana | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1932 | 5,336 |
| GASCONADE RVR | Missouri | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1978 | 5,331 |
| BAYOU DES CANNES | Louisiana | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1967 | 5,328 |
| BROOKS CREEK | Indiana | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1993 | 5,328 |
| WINN CREEK | Louisiana | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1967 | 5,328 |
| YOUNGS CREEK | Indiana | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1946 | 5,321 |
| PINE RUN | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1929 | 5,320 |
| DIAMOND CREEK | Kansas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1975 | 5,315 |
| IRON ORE CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1984 | 5,315 |
| KENDALL CREEK | Washington | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1964 | 5,312 |
| CANE CREEK | Tennessee | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1935 | 5,309 |
| Willamina River | Oregon | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1963 | 5,308 |
| Rock Creek | Oregon | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1986 | 5,304 |
| Necarney Creek | Oregon | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1937 | 5,300 |
| SNAKE RIVER;NYSSA BRIDGE | Idaho | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1957 | 5,300 |
| ANON CREEK | Puerto Rico | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1971 | 5,300 |
| CIBUCO RIVER | Puerto Rico | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1949 | 5,300 |
| MUDDY RVR | Nevada | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1944 | 5,300 |
| SANTIAGO RIVER | Puerto Rico | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1918 | 5,300 |
| EEL RIVER | California | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1911 | 5,300 |
| BIG FLAT BROOK | New Jersey | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1957 | 5,296 |
| CHESTER CREEK / 3696-C10 | Pennsylvania | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1850 | 5,295 |
| SKANEATELES CREEK | New York | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1997 | 5,288 |
| COWEEMAN RIVER | Washington | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1961 | 5,285 |
| CREEK | Oklahoma | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1970 | 5,284 |
| COLES BROOK | New Jersey | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1900 | 5,281 |
| LAWTON CREEK | Washington | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1925 | 5,270 |
| GRIFFIN CR/SO. STAGE RD. | Oregon | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1941 | 5,270 |
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.