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
Pond Creek Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1986 2,616
Spring Creek Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1986 2,616
Elm Fork of Trinity Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1986 2,616
DRAW Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1940 2,607
Buck Creek Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1951 2,607
DRAW Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1951 2,607
DRAW Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1951 2,607
CHIMNEY ROCK DITCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1963 2,600
ANTELOPE CREEK California Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 2002 2,600
BRICKHOUSE GULLY Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1966 2,590
Rabbs Bayou Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1963 2,587
ROWLETT CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 2009 2,576
Timber Creek Relief Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1969 2,574
HCFCD DITCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1965 2,573
HCFCD DRAINAGE DITCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1998 2,572
BLACK CREEK New York Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2024 2,566
Indian Creek Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1964 2,555
Truckee Canal Nevada Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2024 2,550
RUSSELL CREEK Ohio Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2024 2,547
KIRKWOOD BRANCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 2002 2,540
HCFCD DITCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1984 2,540
GUM BAYOU Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1984 2,530
INDIAN CREEK RELIEF Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1990 2,530
Big Cypress Creek Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1970 2,526
DRAW Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1980 2,522
DUCK CRK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1962 2,516
DRAW Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1954 2,503
LANGHAM CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 2006 2,500
MACHINE CREEK South Carolina Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2024 2,500
ARMAND BAYOU Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2001 2,500
GUYANDOTTE RIVER West Virginia Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1997 2,500
DRAW Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2008 2,500
SEALS GULLY Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2002 2,500
ARMAND BAYOU Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2001 2,500
Arroyo Burro Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1953 2,494
SAW KILL New York Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2024 2,489
SALT CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1990 2,485
SALT CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1987 2,485
ELM CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1954 2,483
MILL CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1925 2,478
SALT CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1958 2,478
MUSTANG CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1930 2,464
VARNER CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2024 2,456
VARNER CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2024 2,456
MARYS CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2008 2,450
WHITE OAK CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1988 2,426
WHITE OAK CRK REL #3 Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1988 2,426
RAWHIDE CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1977 2,424
ELM CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1986 2,421
CLENDINING CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1941 2,420

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.