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
Bullhead Slough Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1994 7,963
POOR FARM DITCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1959 7,960
POOR FARM DITCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1959 7,960
SPRING CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1996 7,955
WALLER CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1934 7,914
WHITE OAK BAYOU TRIB Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1987 7,870
WHITE OAK BAYOU TRIB Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1987 7,870
CAMP CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1961 7,867
Gum Gully Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2023 7,864
HORSE PEN CREEK RELIEF Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1964 7,856
HORSE PEN CREEK RELIEF Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1964 7,856
CANAL Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1989 7,856
HORSE PEN CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1964 7,856
BURNT BOOT CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1938 7,830
JACK CREEK TRIBUTARY Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1983 7,828
HCFCD M121-00-00 Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2024 7,821
HCFCD M121-00-00 Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2024 7,821
CARPENTERS BAYOU TRIB Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1940 7,803
MOORE CRK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1961 7,781
DRAW Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1928 7,751
DRAW Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1925 7,724
ROCK CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2010 7,720
ROCK CREEK TRIB Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2011 7,720
DRAIN Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1954 7,718
SPRING BRANCH RELIEF Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1993 7,714
GOOSE CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1959 7,700
S FORK SABINE RIVER Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1959 7,628
DUNBAR CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1952 7,615
LITTLE ELM CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1955 7,607
LITTLE ELM CREEK RELIEF Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1955 7,607
DRAINAGE DITCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1962 7,600
Orchard Creek Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1981 7,564
TIMBER CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1989 7,519
TIMBER CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1989 7,519
IH 10 BW 8 CONNECTORS Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1994 7,500
DRY GULLY Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1994 7,500
MILL CREEK RELIEF Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1982 7,495
MILL CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1982 7,495
HALL BRANCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1948 7,490
DRAINAGE DITCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1999 7,486
SOUTH DRAINAGE DITCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2024 7,480
NORTH DRAINAGE DITCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2024 7,480
DRAINAGE DITCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1998 7,472
FRIO RIVER RELIEF Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1957 7,458
POESTA CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1976 7,410
SIMS BAYOU Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2008 7,400
SIMS BAYOU Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2008 7,400
WEST CADDO SLOUGH NORTH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2000 7,396
WEST CADDO CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2000 7,396
BUFFALO BAYOU Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1938 7,344

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.