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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TURKEY CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1991 | 728 |
| TURKEY CREEK SLOUGH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1991 | 728 |
| SWAMP RIVER | New York | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2024 | 727 |
| CLEAR CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1987 | 724 |
| TRIB TO CENTER CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1998 | 722 |
| BRUSHY CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1996 | 720 |
| BRUSHY ELM CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1992 | 707 |
| BARNETT CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1987 | 706 |
| W TEHUACANA CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1959 | 704 |
| creek | Arkansas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2022 | 703 |
| DRAINAGE DITCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2009 | 700 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1967 | 700 |
| DESERT CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1991 | 696 |
| CANE CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 2003 | 695 |
| KIRBY CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1978 | 693 |
| ELM CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1955 | 692 |
| East Branch Wappingers C | New York | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2024 | 690 |
| BRUSHY CRK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1975 | 687 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1930 | 686 |
| HAMBY CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1934 | 686 |
| LAKE FORK CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1990 | 682 |
| TURKEY CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1990 | 682 |
| TURKEY CREEK RELIEF | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1990 | 682 |
| HCWID NO.1 MAIN CHANNEL | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1985 | 681 |
| DRAINAGE DITCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1960 | 680 |
| CHINQUAPIN CRK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1958 | 676 |
| CLENDELING CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1958 | 675 |
| ELM BR | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1955 | 673 |
| DRAINAGE DITCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1977 | 671 |
| DRAINAGE DITCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1958 | 670 |
| HALE CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1974 | 667 |
| BRANCH OF INDIAN CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1985 | 665 |
| TRIB OF W FRK TRIN RIVER | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 2004 | 663 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1965 | 663 |
| WALLER CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 2001 | 660 |
| GIBBONS CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1958 | 660 |
| DRAKE CRK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1948 | 660 |
| TECHEVA CREEK | Mississippi | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1985 | 660 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 2003 | 660 |
| W. HICKORY CRK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1949 | 653 |
| HICKORY CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1988 | 650 |
| JACOBIA BRANCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1953 | 649 |
| N HICKORY CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1957 | 648 |
| BROWNLEE CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1994 | 646 |
| RELIEF | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1925 | 645 |
| WEST CADDO CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1960 | 640 |
| BRUSHY CRK REL | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1960 | 640 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1960 | 640 |
| Languille River | Arkansas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1978 | 640 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1960 | 640 |
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.