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
HCFCD DITCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1977 7,330
MUSTANG BAYOU Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1984 7,314
GREENS BAYOU Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1982 7,304
DRAIN Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2001 7,300
DRAW Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1984 7,285
HONDO CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1939 7,271
Drain Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1964 7,270
DRAINAGE DITCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1943 7,270
MENARD CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2023 7,262
CANEY CR REL 1 Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1993 7,261
CANEY CR REL 3 Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1993 7,261
CANEY CR REL 2 Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1993 7,261
CANEY CR REL 4 Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1993 7,261
COOPER CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1987 7,250
MERCEDES MAIN CANAL Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2008 7,236
DRAW Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1973 7,213
DRAW Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1925 7,213
DRY CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2009 7,211
DRAINAGE DITCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1995 7,197
HALLS BAYOU Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1965 7,171
HILL CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1946 7,168
HIGH CREEK 1 Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1946 7,168
MCFARLAND CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1946 7,168
PINE CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1946 7,168
HIGH CREEK 2 Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1946 7,168
Drainage Ditch Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1958 7,166
BR OF MOUND CRK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1980 7,148
POTTER CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1968 7,145
HOLLIDAY CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1938 7,118
SPRNG CK SH 99 HARDYTL Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 2016 7,113
LINDSEY CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1952 7,098
Rio Grande River Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2013 7,084
NOLTON CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1939 7,048
DRAIN Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1930 7,041
DRAINAGE DITCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1983 7,025
WILLOW WATERHOLE BAYOU Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1960 7,025
DRY CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1966 7,019
BUFFALO BYU TRIB Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2000 7,000
PODUNK RIVER Connecticut Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2023 7,000
WHITE OAK CR Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2007 7,000
DRAINAGE DITCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2004 6,996
DRY CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2009 6,989
WHITE ROCK CREEK REL #4 Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1950 6,988
JONES CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1982 6,944
RESACA DE LOS FRESNOS Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2009 6,938
Woody Branch Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1965 6,928
BAKER CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1965 6,924
DRAW Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2009 6,911
DRAW Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1966 6,910
RIO GRANDE RIVER Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1969 6,900

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.