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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GUYANDOTTE RIVER | West Virginia | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 2000 | 800 |
| LILLYS CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1931 | 799 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1968 | 794 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1931 | 794 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1968 | 794 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1998 | 794 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1968 | 794 |
| DRAINAGE DITCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1990 | 793 |
| LITTLE POST OAK CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1966 | 788 |
| BOUQUET RIVER | New York | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2024 | 788 |
| LANDERS CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1926 | 787 |
| COTTONWOOD CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1999 | 781 |
| FARMERS CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1991 | 774 |
| BIG PINE CREEK BRANCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2001 | 768 |
| BIG PINE CREEK BRANCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 2000 | 768 |
| DRAINAGE DITCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1993 | 762 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1993 | 762 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1993 | 762 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1993 | 762 |
| WILDHORSE BRANCH # 1 | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1925 | 761 |
| HCFCD DITCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1960 | 760 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1976 | 758 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1976 | 758 |
| PENNYS CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1954 | 755 |
| BRADEN BRANCH TRIBUTARY | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1962 | 755 |
| CASE CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1956 | 754 |
| Holiday Creek | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2024 | 753 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1929 | 752 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1929 | 752 |
| LITTLE ONION CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1929 | 752 |
| DOGWOOD CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1929 | 752 |
| ONION CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1929 | 752 |
| COTTONWOOD CRK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1954 | 750 |
| CHIMNEY ROCK DITCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1969 | 750 |
| SPRING CREEK FLOOD PLAIN | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2016 | 750 |
| HL&P COOLING WATER CANAL | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 2005 | 750 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2008 | 750 |
| CLEVELAND BRANCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1958 | 750 |
| POOTATUCK RIVER | Connecticut | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2023 | 750 |
| FLY CREEK | New York | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2024 | 749 |
| Drainage Ditch | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1930 | 745 |
| BERRY CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1996 | 741 |
| NEWTON CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 2008 | 741 |
| S. White Oak Creek | Arkansas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1963 | 740 |
| HALLS BAYOU | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2012 | 740 |
| HONDO CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2013 | 739 |
| CEDAR CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1969 | 732 |
| DELAWARE CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1940 | 732 |
| RUSH CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1955 | 732 |
| RAYMONDVILLE DRAIN | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2013 | 729 |
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.