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.

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.