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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HCFCD DITCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1986 | 1,020 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1976 | 1,013 |
| BIG CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1968 | 1,013 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1947 | 1,013 |
| LITTLE BEAR RIVER | Utah | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2022 | 1,008 |
| SOUTH BRANCH PINE CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2001 | 1,007 |
| MORRIS CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1951 | 1,003 |
| BIRCH CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1958 | 1,002 |
| MOJAVE RIVER | California | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2019 | 1,001 |
| DRAINAGE DITCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2010 | 1,000 |
| UPRR UTA Canal and River | Utah | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2022 | 1,000 |
| WEST CANAL | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1953 | 1,000 |
| WEST CANAL | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1953 | 1,000 |
| HCFCD DITCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1989 | 1,000 |
| DRAINAGE DITCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1989 | 1,000 |
| DRAINAGE DITCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1994 | 1,000 |
| TRAIL CREEK | Idaho | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1980 | 1,000 |
| RIGHT FORK OF LOWER CRK | West Virginia | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1922 | 1,000 |
| SUCKER RAVINE | California | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1987 | 1,000 |
| HCFCD DITCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1987 | 1,000 |
| FOURPOLE CREEK | West Virginia | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Poor | 1940 | 1,000 |
| WHITEWATER RIVER | California | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2024 | 1,000 |
| WHITE OAK CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2016 | 1,000 |
| Drainage Ditch | Florida | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2004 | 1,000 |
| Oquirrh Lake | Utah | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2008 | 1,000 |
| CLOVER VALLEY CREEK | California | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1990 | 1,000 |
| TEMIESCAL WASH | California | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2023 | 1,000 |
| WEST CANAL | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1953 | 1,000 |
| ROSILLO CR TRIB A | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2016 | 1,000 |
| HCFCD DITCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1990 | 1,000 |
| PLEASANT GROVE CREEK | California | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1992 | 1,000 |
| ASH SLOUGH | California | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2024 | 1,000 |
| CLOVER VALLEY CREEK | California | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1987 | 1,000 |
| TR LAKE ARLINGTON | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1969 | 1,000 |
| HCFCD DITCH U106-10-00 | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2003 | 1,000 |
| LITTLE VINCE BAYOU | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1979 | 1,000 |
| HCFCD DITCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1950 | 1,000 |
| LAUREL CREEK | West Virginia | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1995 | 1,000 |
| Logan River | Utah | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2023 | 1,000 |
| BIG GULCH WASH #4 | Idaho | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2024 | 1,000 |
| BIG GULCH WASH #5 | Idaho | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2024 | 1,000 |
| MILL CREEK | West Virginia | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1987 | 1,000 |
| HCFCD DITCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2000 | 1,000 |
| DRAINAGE DITCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 2007 | 1,000 |
| SEARS BRANCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2024 | 1,000 |
| PLEASANT GROVE CREEK | California | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1997 | 1,000 |
| ARMAND BYU TRIB (B113) | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 2009 | 1,000 |
| WILLOW FLATS | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2015 | 1,000 |
| HCFCD DITCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1987 | 1,000 |
| Oquirrh Lake | Utah | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 2008 | 1,000 |
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.