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
Brazos River Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1967 2,903
Boeuf River Arkansas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Poor 1950 2,900
KELSEY CREEK California Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2023 2,900
DRAW Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 2007 2,892
HCFCD DITCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1970 2,841
DUCK CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1930 2,839
DRAW Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1922 2,834
ELM BRANCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1978 2,827
DRAW Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1945 2,815
HOG WALLOW CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1945 2,815
DRAW Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1945 2,815
Fountain Creek Arkansas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1975 2,800
SABINE CREEK BRANCH NO 1 Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2024 2,779
DICKINSON BYU Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1990 2,778
BIG SANDY CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1948 2,750
TOWN RESACA CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1999 2,744
TOWN RESACA CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1999 2,744
TRIB. KEE BRANCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1973 2,743
DUCK CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1939 2,723
FAUGHT CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1949 2,718
BLACKWATER CRK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1955 2,710
N FLOODWAY PILOT CHANNEL Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1986 2,704
MERCEDES CANAL Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2007 2,704
Corpus Christi Ship Chan Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 2002 2,703
INDIAN CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1957 2,692
WHITE OAK BAYOU Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1987 2,690
WHITE OAK BAYOU Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1987 2,690
DRAINAGE DITCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1988 2,687
DRAW Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1962 2,685
HIGHLAND BAYOU Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 2006 2,680
POWDER CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1938 2,680
SLOANS CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Poor 1931 2,676
E. CADDO CR Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1970 2,675
E. CADDO CR. REL. Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1970 2,675
FARBER BRANCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1970 2,675
WILLOW GROVE CREEK New York Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2024 2,665
TOWN BRANCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1935 2,657
WHITE OAK CREEK REL #3 Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1981 2,651
DRY CIBOLO CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1925 2,647
CIBOLO CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1925 2,647
WOLF CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1969 2,640
BEASLEY BRANCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1974 2,640
ELKHART BRANCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1969 2,630
San Pedro Creek Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2023 2,630
DRAW Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1962 2,629
LONG BRANCH SALT CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1934 2,623
ELM CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2022 2,623
FLAT CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2010 2,623
GRASSHOPPER CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1952 2,623
WEST FORK OF POND CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1968 2,621

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.