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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TRINITY RIVER REL #1 | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2000 | 5,066 |
| LAKE ROBBINS | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1996 | 5,061 |
| WATER BROOK | Massachusetts | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2002 | 5,045 |
| DRAINAGE DITCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1967 | 5,038 |
| FREDERICK CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1997 | 5,028 |
| RED FISH SLOUGH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2024 | 5,018 |
| HUNTING BAYOU | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1967 | 5,010 |
| HUNTING BAYOU | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1967 | 5,010 |
| SABINE RIVER | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1996 | 5,005 |
| OATS CREEK | Arkansas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1984 | 5,003 |
| OATS CREEK | Arkansas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1984 | 5,003 |
| PANTHER BRANCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1996 | 5,000 |
| GREENS BAYOU | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1978 | 5,000 |
| HCFCD DITCH M | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1992 | 5,000 |
| HCFCD DITCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1950 | 5,000 |
| HCFCD DITCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1981 | 5,000 |
| CLEAR CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2007 | 5,000 |
| HCFCD DITCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1969 | 5,000 |
| HCFCD DITCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2001 | 5,000 |
| PANTHER BRANCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2004 | 5,000 |
| WOODLANDS WATERWAY | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1994 | 5,000 |
| HCFCD DITCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1981 | 5,000 |
| GREENS BAYOU | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1978 | 5,000 |
| GREENS BAYOU | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1998 | 5,000 |
| HORSEPEN BAYOU | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1993 | 5,000 |
| CLEAR CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 2007 | 5,000 |
| HCFCD DITCH M | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1992 | 5,000 |
| DRAINAGE DITCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1994 | 5,000 |
| PLEASANT GROVE CREEK | California | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2000 | 5,000 |
| HORSEPEN BAYOU | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1993 | 5,000 |
| CLEAR CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2006 | 5,000 |
| GREENS BAYOU | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1998 | 5,000 |
| PEACH CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1970 | 4,980 |
| WHEELER CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1976 | 4,971 |
| WOLF CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1934 | 4,969 |
| LITTLE TIMBER CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1934 | 4,969 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1956 | 4,962 |
| WILLOW WATERHOLE BAYOU | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1964 | 4,960 |
| WILLOW WATERHOLE BAYOU | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1964 | 4,960 |
| HOLLIDAY CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1987 | 4,939 |
| SPRING CREEK TRIBUTARY | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2002 | 4,922 |
| Drainage Ditch | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1950 | 4,913 |
| Drainage Ditch | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1958 | 4,913 |
| DRAIN | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1958 | 4,901 |
| DITCH A | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2012 | 4,900 |
| PANTHER CREEK | California | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2024 | 4,900 |
| FOUR HOLE SWAMP | South Carolina | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2023 | 4,900 |
| Taylor Slough | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1996 | 4,885 |
| HOOKER CRK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1959 | 4,884 |
| HCFCD DITCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1997 | 4,874 |
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.