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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SHAWANGUNK KILL | New York | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2022 | 1,253 |
| BR OF MONTAGUE CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1959 | 1,251 |
| HALE CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1974 | 1,251 |
| STEWART CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2009 | 1,250 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1950 | 1,250 |
| LITTLE VINCE BAYOU | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1984 | 1,240 |
| BRUSHY CRK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1957 | 1,239 |
| SHUTTLE CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1957 | 1,239 |
| REEDER CRK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1957 | 1,239 |
| Skaneateles Creek | New York | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2024 | 1,238 |
| RANGE CRK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2000 | 1,234 |
| SUGAR CREEK | New York | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2024 | 1,232 |
| SEALS GULLY | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1993 | 1,230 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 2003 | 1,229 |
| NICIPER CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1936 | 1,225 |
| MUSTANG CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1985 | 1,224 |
| OUTFALL CHANNEL | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1965 | 1,220 |
| TOBLER CREEK | Georgia | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2023 | 1,220 |
| TICKY CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2024 | 1,213 |
| TWIN LAKES CREEK | Minnesota | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2022 | 1,213 |
| TICKY CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2024 | 1,213 |
| KENNEDY GULLY | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1999 | 1,210 |
| EAST CADDO CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1971 | 1,209 |
| DRAIN | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1971 | 1,209 |
| BUFFALO CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1956 | 1,206 |
| RITCHIE CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1986 | 1,203 |
| NUECES RIVER | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1991 | 1,202 |
| WATER BROOK | Massachusetts | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1990 | 1,200 |
| SABINE CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2024 | 1,200 |
| WATER BROOK | Massachusetts | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2000 | 1,200 |
| CANE ISLAND BR | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1991 | 1,200 |
| HOG WALLOW CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1948 | 1,200 |
| COMB SDDLE HLL TL & BRK | Massachusetts | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 2002 | 1,200 |
| GILBERT CREEK | West Virginia | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1930 | 1,200 |
| Brooks Branch | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2009 | 1,193 |
| WOLF CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1990 | 1,192 |
| Magnolia Creek | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1982 | 1,190 |
| CIBOLO CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2013 | 1,190 |
| CHOCTAW CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2000 | 1,186 |
| DESERT CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1949 | 1,183 |
| REDMOND CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1961 | 1,182 |
| Drainage Ditch | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1930 | 1,178 |
| PLUM CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1960 | 1,165 |
| SPRING CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1985 | 1,163 |
| BLACK CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1963 | 1,161 |
| Francisco Perez Creek | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2024 | 1,161 |
| CYPRESS DITCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1964 | 1,160 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1996 | 1,158 |
| WEIRS CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2013 | 1,157 |
| WATER PARKER RIVER | Massachusetts | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2000 | 1,154 |
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.