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
Caney Creek Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2024 18,298
DRY CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1994 18,098
DRAW Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1970 17,969
Rogers Gully Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2024 17,933
HALLS BAYOU Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2008 17,900
N/A Alabama Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1940 17,786
DRAW Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2010 17,689
MUD BAYOU Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2000 17,650
MUSTANG BAYOU Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1935 17,630
NORTH FRK OF SOUTH CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1979 17,591
LITTLE WHITE OAK BAYOU Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1975 17,580
DRAINAGE DITCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2002 17,560
Smithers Lake Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2009 17,432
MUSTANG BAYOU Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1949 17,417
DENTON CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1963 17,344
BERRY CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1980 17,310
BERRY CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1980 17,310
BERRY CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1980 17,310
BERRY CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1980 17,310
Bullhead Slough Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1994 17,132
W TRIB #3 Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1988 17,117
DRAW Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1975 17,116
MAIN SUPPLY CANAL Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1986 17,115
DRAINAGE DITCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1950 17,054
Caney Creek Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2007 17,024
DRAIN Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2010 17,018
MC GRATH CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2010 17,018
SILVERDALE CRK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1988 17,015
Rattlesnake Slough Florida Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2002 17,000
IRRIGATION CANAL Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1986 17,000
HCFCD DITCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1970 16,972
BILOXI BRANCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1949 16,952
WHITE OAK BAYOU Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2014 16,900
CLEAR CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1990 16,894
LONG BRANCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1955 16,890
Caney Creek Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2007 16,870
TEN MILE CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1971 16,771
BRICKHOUSE GULLY Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1968 16,760
BRICKHOUSE GULLY Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1968 16,760
HCFCD DITCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1950 16,660
LITTLE WHITE OAK BAYOU Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1962 16,610
MEMORIAL & BUFFALO BAYOU Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1967 16,603
CANEY CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1989 16,563
Resaca de los Fresnos Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1946 16,540
STEWART CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1998 16,478
HCFCD DITCH C147-00-00 Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1995 16,401
STEWART CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1970 16,370
SPRING CR REL Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1990 16,177
LITTLE TIMBER CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1932 16,141
RUBY CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1932 16,141

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.