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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MUSTANG CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1935 | 5,896 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1941 | 5,874 |
| HCFCD DITCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1982 | 5,860 |
| DRY CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1957 | 5,848 |
| BEAR PEN CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1991 | 5,827 |
| BELL CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1971 | 5,810 |
| LIVE BRANCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1971 | 5,810 |
| SLOUGH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1971 | 5,810 |
| 18 Mile Coleto Creek | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2024 | 5,800 |
| MERCEDES MAIN CANAL | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1935 | 5,779 |
| AUSTIN BAYOU | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1965 | 5,772 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2004 | 5,767 |
| DRAINAGE DITCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1990 | 5,753 |
| RED GULLY | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1998 | 5,745 |
| RED GULLY | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1998 | 5,745 |
| WEIRS CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1928 | 5,726 |
| LAKE COLEMAN DRAIN | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1925 | 5,722 |
| Blue Girth Swamp East | Alabama | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2024 | 5,720 |
| Blue Girth Creek West | Alabama | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2024 | 5,720 |
| HCFCD DITCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2001 | 5,720 |
| S TEXAS WATER CO CANAL | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1988 | 5,712 |
| Big Creek | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1968 | 5,710 |
| HALLS BAYOU | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1987 | 5,709 |
| Corpus Christi Ship Chan | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 2002 | 5,703 |
| Corpus Christi Ship Chan | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 2002 | 5,703 |
| Corpus Christi Ship Chan | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 2002 | 5,703 |
| Corpus Christi Ship Chan | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 2007 | 5,703 |
| DRAINAGE DITCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1951 | 5,687 |
| SABINE RIVER | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1962 | 5,680 |
| WILDCAT CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2011 | 5,679 |
| SMACKOVER CREEK | Arkansas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1990 | 5,679 |
| SANDY CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2001 | 5,676 |
| HCFCD #0107-00-00 | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2002 | 5,676 |
| TWO MILE CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1937 | 5,654 |
| PRAIRIE CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1937 | 5,654 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1937 | 5,639 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2002 | 5,639 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2002 | 5,639 |
| CHANDLER CRK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1966 | 5,636 |
| LITTLE WHITE OAK BAYOU | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1930 | 5,630 |
| GREENS BAYOU | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2012 | 5,600 |
| DRAINAGE DITCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1975 | 5,585 |
| SAN GERONIMO CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1980 | 5,543 |
| Drainage Ditch | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1990 | 5,542 |
| DUVAL DITCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1990 | 5,542 |
| Drainage Ditch | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1989 | 5,542 |
| DRAINAGE DITCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1975 | 5,539 |
| DITCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1998 | 5,520 |
| LORENCE CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2007 | 5,515 |
| LITTLE SHAWNEE CRK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1930 | 5,508 |
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.