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
DRAW Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1937 3,093
TOWNSEND CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1937 3,093
SPRING CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1993 3,093
TOWNSEND CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1937 3,093
HONDO CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1961 3,069
BRIAR BRANCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1945 3,069
ROCKY CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1990 3,065
BOIS DARC CR Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Poor 1931 3,060
ROCK CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2000 3,057
WILLIAMSON CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2024 3,055
WILLIAMSON CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2024 3,055
ARROYO COLORADO Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2000 3,044
MAXWELL CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1997 3,042
Timber Creek Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1964 3,036
SABINE RIV. REL. Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1953 3,035
Mays Creek Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1976 3,035
SABINE RIV. Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1953 3,035
W SQUIRREL CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1939 3,032
Bessies Creek Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2004 3,029
BRUSHY BR Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1953 3,029
HONDO CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1957 3,009
NEW BAYOU Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1992 3,003
E FK TRINITY RIVER Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1983 3,002
HARPERS HORSEPEN Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2000 3,000
ILLINOIS RIVER Arkansas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Poor 1963 3,000
HCFCD DITCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1985 3,000
SUCKER RAVINE California Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1978 3,000
BEAR CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2008 3,000
DRAW Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2006 3,000
REINHARDT BAYOU Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2002 3,000
HCFCD Unit A119-00-00 Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1986 3,000
HCFCD DITCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1985 3,000
SHARPSTOWN DITCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1980 3,000
WALNUT BRANCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1987 2,990
KELLER BRANCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Poor 1960 2,985
BOIS DARC & COOPER CRS Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1947 2,980
HCFCD DRAINAGE DITCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1998 2,976
MARTIN BRANCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1960 2,969
DRAW Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1960 2,969
DRAIN Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1957 2,959
MOUND CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1994 2,956
Balcones Creek Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2022 2,947
Balcones Creek Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2022 2,947
INTRACOASTAL CANAL Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1978 2,937
BERRY CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1963 2,915
BERRY CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1963 2,915
CORNELIASON CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1954 2,914
Sabinas Creek Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2022 2,909
OAKLAND BRANCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1969 2,909
Rip Rap Ditch Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2024 2,907

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.