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.
| 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.