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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BARGE CREEK | Georgia | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2023 | 1,153 |
| HCFCD DITCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1965 | 1,150 |
| RIGHT HIGH LEVEL CANAL | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2007 | 1,136 |
| HCFCD DITCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1950 | 1,132 |
| CLOVER FK CUMBERLAND RVR | Kentucky | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Poor | 1925 | 1,130 |
| TRIB TO DUCK CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1972 | 1,130 |
| Jones Creek | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2014 | 1,124 |
| COTTONWOOD CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1986 | 1,120 |
| RICKETTS BRANCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1964 | 1,109 |
| HOG CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1954 | 1,106 |
| RED OAK CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 2003 | 1,103 |
| SHARPSTOWN DITCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1970 | 1,100 |
| HCFCD | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2009 | 1,100 |
| HCFCD | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2009 | 1,100 |
| DRY CREEK | California | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2023 | 1,100 |
| DRY CREEK TRIBUTARY | California | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2023 | 1,100 |
| PORTER FORK | West Virginia | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1940 | 1,100 |
| VILLAGE CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2008 | 1,097 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1931 | 1,097 |
| S BANK OF BUFFALO BAYOU | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1959 | 1,096 |
| DUCK CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1973 | 1,093 |
| DUCK CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1973 | 1,093 |
| DUNBAR CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1980 | 1,092 |
| HURRICANE BAYOU RELIEF | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1969 | 1,091 |
| SEYMOUR CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2014 | 1,091 |
| Draw | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Poor | 1930 | 1,084 |
| H & W CO. MASTER DRAIN | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1986 | 1,077 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1955 | 1,076 |
| HEAD CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2001 | 1,068 |
| CANEY CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2000 | 1,068 |
| DRAKE CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2001 | 1,068 |
| RAY CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2001 | 1,068 |
| HARRIS CREEK REL | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1962 | 1,064 |
| DELTA LAKE DRAIN | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1998 | 1,058 |
| WILLACY MAIN CANAL | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1998 | 1,058 |
| Taber Branch | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2014 | 1,058 |
| LEGG CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1957 | 1,056 |
| SALT BRANCH CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2009 | 1,052 |
| CANEY CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2007 | 1,050 |
| CHOCTAW CRK REL | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1958 | 1,042 |
| NORTH CANEY CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2011 | 1,038 |
| NORTH CANEY CREEK RELIEF | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1954 | 1,038 |
| BRUSHY CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1969 | 1,038 |
| WATER MILLHAM BROOK | Massachusetts | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2015 | 1,034 |
| BRANCH BRUSHY CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1991 | 1,032 |
| LITTLE WHITE OAK BAYOU | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1989 | 1,030 |
| SHARPSTOWN DITCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1970 | 1,030 |
| HOLLIDAY CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1999 | 1,028 |
| HICKORY CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1954 | 1,024 |
| SOUTH SULPHUR RIV RELIEF | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1977 | 1,023 |
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.