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.

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.