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
Plum Creek Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2009 306
Plum Creek Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2009 306
OLD SOUTH SULPHUR RIVER Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1963 305
CHERRY CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1954 304
JUSTISS CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1954 304
CAMP CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1960 303
PUTNAM BROOK New York Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2024 302
HCFCD DITCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1996 300
HUACHUCA CANYON CREEK Arizona Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2021 300
HCFCD DITCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1996 300
HCFCD DITCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1985 300
SUGAR TREE FORK West Virginia Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1986 300
MIDDLE BAYOU Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 2001 300
WATER HUCKLEBERRY BROOK Massachusetts Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1995 300
HCFCD DITCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1985 300
GOODYEAR CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2003 300
S FK PALOUSE R(EDINGTON) Idaho Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2024 300
HCFCD DITCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1996 300
HCFCD DITCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2000 300
HCFCD DITCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1970 300
DRAIN Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2007 300
PONDS CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1995 300
WATER LIT BUMMT BRK TRIB Massachusetts Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1998 300
WOLF PEN CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1959 298
WHIPPLE CREEK Washington Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1962 298
DRAW Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1943 298
BIG CRK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1962 296
FRANKS CRK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1962 296
SIMPKINS CRK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1963 296
FRANKS CRK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1962 296
CHILTIPIN CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1993 292
CHILTIPIN CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1994 292
DRAW Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1995 291
HAYES CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2008 290
HCFCD DITCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1950 290
LYTLE BR Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1948 289
Draw Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2023 287
DRAINAGE DITCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1968 286
EAST HONEY CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1954 286
MAXWELL CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2003 286
Hondo Creek Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2024 286
COFFEE MILL CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1964 283
BRUSHY ELM CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 2001 283
CLAPHAND CRK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Poor 1959 282
ALEXANDER CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1991 282
WALNUT CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1956 282
OAK BRANCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Poor 1987 281
N FK LITTLE WICHITA RI Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2003 281
STOUTS CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1969 281
BIG SANDY CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1986 281

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.