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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MARYS CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2008 | 3,600 |
| COTTONWOOD CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1957 | 3,572 |
| WATER DAM LOT BROOK | Massachusetts | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1981 | 3,571 |
| DRAIN | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1989 | 3,570 |
| COMMERCIAL TRIBUTARY | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 2013 | 3,560 |
| No Name Creek | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1999 | 3,549 |
| ARROYO COLORADO | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2011 | 3,528 |
| JORDAN CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1967 | 3,526 |
| CEDAR CRK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1959 | 3,516 |
| N MAIN DRAINAGE DITCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2022 | 3,513 |
| COTTONWOOD CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1999 | 3,500 |
| WATER WESTERN CANAL | Massachusetts | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Poor | 1910 | 3,500 |
| VOGEL CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1979 | 3,500 |
| Mill Creek | Florida | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2016 | 3,500 |
| COTTONWOOD CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1999 | 3,500 |
| CCDD NO. 5 | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1997 | 3,488 |
| Draw | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2023 | 3,488 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1954 | 3,486 |
| CHOCTAW CRK RELIEF | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1935 | 3,479 |
| DRAIN | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1935 | 3,479 |
| ELM CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2000 | 3,464 |
| BLACK BRANCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2000 | 3,464 |
| MERCEDES MAIN CANAL | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2008 | 3,462 |
| GOOSE CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1959 | 3,460 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1957 | 3,449 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1957 | 3,449 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1957 | 3,449 |
| FRIO RIVER OVERFLOW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1957 | 3,449 |
| HUNT CROSSING | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2015 | 3,440 |
| Ditch M | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1994 | 3,424 |
| LITTLE MILL CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2004 | 3,421 |
| Pecan Creek | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1960 | 3,420 |
| MORNING CREEK | Georgia | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2021 | 3,420 |
| BEAR PEN CRK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1967 | 3,419 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1957 | 3,419 |
| HCFCD DITCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1990 | 3,403 |
| WHITE ROCK CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1959 | 3,398 |
| WHEELER CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1952 | 3,395 |
| Duck Creek | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1950 | 3,391 |
| HIDALGO W MAIN DRAIN | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1989 | 3,389 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1963 | 3,372 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1927 | 3,372 |
| HCFCD DITCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1970 | 3,370 |
| BIG CYPRESS CREEK SLOUGH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1957 | 3,366 |
| LITTLE CYPRESS CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1957 | 3,366 |
| BIG CYPRESS CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1957 | 3,366 |
| ROSILLO CRK W TRIBUTARY | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2014 | 3,362 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1955 | 3,357 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1955 | 3,357 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1955 | 3,357 |
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.