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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DRAINAGE DITCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2003 | 1,408 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1971 | 1,408 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1999 | 1,402 |
| TRIB OF LITTLE PINE CRK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2004 | 1,402 |
| Muddy Bayou Relief | Arkansas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1961 | 1,400 |
| LAKE MURRAY | South Carolina | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1971 | 1,400 |
| COPPERAS MINE FORK | West Virginia | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1993 | 1,400 |
| MC GRATH CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1998 | 1,400 |
| BRIER CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1990 | 1,398 |
| BIG SANDY CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1980 | 1,391 |
| BIG SANDY CREEK REL | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1980 | 1,391 |
| ECHOLS CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2000 | 1,391 |
| HCFCD DITCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1996 | 1,388 |
| HCFCD DITCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1996 | 1,388 |
| DRAINAGE DITCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2003 | 1,387 |
| REDMOND BRANCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1976 | 1,381 |
| CEDAR CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1991 | 1,367 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1954 | 1,366 |
| Buck Creek | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2012 | 1,366 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2007 | 1,366 |
| Drainage Ditch | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1930 | 1,364 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2010 | 1,359 |
| DRAINAGE DITCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2003 | 1,355 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2005 | 1,351 |
| San Pedro Creek | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2023 | 1,350 |
| BRAZOS RIVER DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1965 | 1,330 |
| DRAINAGE DITCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1966 | 1,326 |
| CAMERON CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1925 | 1,322 |
| NO NAME CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2002 | 1,322 |
| LITTLE BLANCO CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2002 | 1,322 |
| CAMERON CREEK REL | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1925 | 1,322 |
| CAMERON CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1925 | 1,322 |
| BRAZOS RIVER TRIBUTARY | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1977 | 1,321 |
| CCWID #2 DITCH E | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2003 | 1,320 |
| CIBOLO CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 2000 | 1,310 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1990 | 1,308 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1947 | 1,303 |
| SR 396 & SPRR | Nevada | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1981 | 1,300 |
| DRAINAGE DITCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1993 | 1,294 |
| LAKE FORK CRK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1998 | 1,290 |
| WATER UNNAMED STREAM | Massachusetts | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2009 | 1,285 |
| SPRING BRANCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1957 | 1,285 |
| LITTLE BULLARD CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1924 | 1,283 |
| BIG BULLARD CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1924 | 1,283 |
| REDMOND BRANCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1948 | 1,281 |
| CONNER CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1954 | 1,278 |
| ANTHONY BRANCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1962 | 1,268 |
| EAST CADDO CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1986 | 1,268 |
| FEATHERSTONE CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1995 | 1,268 |
| MOUNTAIN CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1960 | 1,256 |
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.