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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FALL BRANCH | Indiana | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1991 | 3,935 |
| MAIDEN CREEK TRIBUTARY | Pennsylvania | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1929 | 3,933 |
| MAIDEN CREEK | Pennsylvania | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1950 | 3,933 |
| BUSHNECK BAYOU | Louisiana | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1948 | 3,931 |
| GUTHRIE CREEK | Indiana | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1979 | 3,929 |
| INDIAN CREEK | Washington | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1927 | 3,925 |
| PRAIRIE CREEK | Oregon | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1980 | 3,924 |
| COSUMNES RIVER | California | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1964 | 3,921 |
| BIRD HOLLOW CREEK | Indiana | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1956 | 3,910 |
| BAY CITY CREEK | Wisconsin | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1968 | 3,909 |
| MAUMEE RIVER | Indiana | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1962 | 3,904 |
| SWAN CREEK | Wisconsin | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1930 | 3,900 |
| FOUR HOLE SWAMP | South Carolina | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1975 | 3,900 |
| HUTCHINSON CREEK | California | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1952 | 3,900 |
| SALIENTE RIVER | Puerto Rico | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1950 | 3,900 |
| LOOKING GLASS RIVER | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1993 | 3,900 |
| CREEK | Puerto Rico | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1976 | 3,900 |
| LAKESIDE CREEK | Wisconsin | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1927 | 3,900 |
| LAKESIDE CREEK | Wisconsin | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1927 | 3,900 |
| COONEWAH CREEK | Mississippi | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1958 | 3,900 |
| SECOND HILL BROOK | Connecticut | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1958 | 3,900 |
| RICHLAND CREEK | South Carolina | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1970 | 3,900 |
| W BR FOND DU LAC RIVER | Wisconsin | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1965 | 3,900 |
| LAPA RIVER | Puerto Rico | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1926 | 3,900 |
| TRUCKEE RIVER | Nevada | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1975 | 3,900 |
| TRUCKEE RIVER | Nevada | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1974 | 3,900 |
| DRAW CATTLE UNDERPASS | Colorado | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1961 | 3,900 |
| TYGART VALLEY RIVER | West Virginia | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1972 | 3,900 |
| WOLF RIVER | Mississippi | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1996 | 3,900 |
| BAYAMON CREEK | Puerto Rico | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1929 | 3,900 |
| BOISE RIVER | Idaho | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1961 | 3,900 |
| CONTENTNEA CREEK | North Carolina | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1975 | 3,900 |
| MULA CREEK | Puerto Rico | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1926 | 3,900 |
| TRIB MILLER RUN | Pennsylvania | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1951 | 3,897 |
| SHOOKS RUN | Colorado | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1955 | 3,894 |
| TARVER CREEK | Louisiana | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1950 | 3,888 |
| MIDDLETONS CREEK | Tennessee | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1958 | 3,887 |
| OVER SHENANGO RIVER N BR | Pennsylvania | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1916 | 3,887 |
| CREEK | Louisiana | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1973 | 3,881 |
| ARKANSAS RIVER | Kansas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1954 | 3,878 |
| CHESTER CREEK | Pennsylvania | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1933 | 3,875 |
| SOUTH BR CHIPPEWA RIVER | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1958 | 3,870 |
| APPLE TREE COVE | Washington | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1952 | 3,866 |
| N BRANCH BLACK RIVER | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1981 | 3,862 |
| NILE DITCH | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1963 | 3,862 |
| GRAND RVR | Missouri | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1965 | 3,860 |
| BURNETT BROOK | New Jersey | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1910 | 3,855 |
| GRASSY FORK | Indiana | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1985 | 3,852 |
| M FORK WILDCAT CREEK | Indiana | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1933 | 3,852 |
| APPLE CREEK | North Dakota | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1965 | 3,850 |
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.