Scour Critical Bridges in Texas
3,912 bridges in Texas 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 3,912 bridges in Texas have been identified as vulnerable to scour damage.
| Bridge | State | Scour Status | Condition | Year Built | ADT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mason Creek | Texas | Scour Critical, Countermeasures Installed | Good | 2005 | 99,354 |
| KEEGANS BAYOU | Texas | Scour Critical, Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1969 | 89,868 |
| SAN JACINTO RIVER | Texas | Scour Critical, Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1974 | 78,458 |
| Drainage Ditch | Texas | Scour Critical, Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1961 | 52,733 |
| ELM CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical, Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1934 | 52,065 |
| LANGHAM CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical, Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1981 | 41,301 |
| CYPRESS CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical, Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1976 | 38,984 |
| LANGHAM CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical, Countermeasures Installed | Good | 2005 | 36,822 |
| BUFFALO BAYOU | Texas | Scour Critical, Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1962 | 36,165 |
| SEALS GULLY | Texas | Scour Critical, Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1986 | 35,579 |
| WHITE ROCK CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical, Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1986 | 30,728 |
| BUFFALO BAYOU | Texas | Scour Critical, Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1968 | 30,601 |
| CIBOLO CREEK & AZTEC WAY | Texas | Scour Critical, Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 2002 | 30,473 |
| BRAYS BAYOU | Texas | Scour Critical, Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1986 | 28,257 |
| HORSEPEN CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical, Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1975 | 27,840 |
| BUFFALO BAYOU/ ZOLTOWSKI | Texas | Scour Critical, Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1956 | 25,730 |
| TEN MILE CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical, Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1996 | 25,686 |
| BIG COTTONWOOD CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical, Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1929 | 24,909 |
| WALTON CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical, Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1949 | 24,899 |
| KEEGANS BAYOU | Texas | Scour Critical, Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1988 | 24,543 |
| PINE ISLAND BAYOU | Texas | Scour Critical, Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1953 | 23,403 |
| SAN JACINTO RIVER | Texas | Scour Critical, Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1988 | 22,475 |
| MILL BRANCH | Texas | Scour Critical, Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1969 | 22,365 |
| ELM CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical, Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1957 | 22,330 |
| TURKEY CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical, Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1939 | 21,969 |
| MILL BRANCH | Texas | Scour Critical, Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1986 | 21,577 |
| COLE CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical, Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1962 | 21,125 |
| COLE CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical, Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1970 | 21,125 |
| BEAR CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical, Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1974 | 20,964 |
| CHACON CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical, Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1996 | 20,937 |
| SANTA MONICA LAKE | Texas | Scour Critical, Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1973 | 19,501 |
| MANADAS CREEK TRIBUTARY | Texas | Scour Critical, Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1998 | 19,242 |
| WILSON CREEK RELIEF | Texas | Scour Critical, Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1957 | 19,136 |
| DUCK CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical, Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1952 | 18,979 |
| WILSON CREEK RELIEF | Texas | Scour Critical, Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1957 | 18,700 |
| GREENS BAYOU | Texas | Scour Critical, Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1986 | 18,696 |
| BRAYS BAYOU | Texas | Scour Critical, Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1962 | 18,564 |
| San Antonio River | Texas | Scour Critical, Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1965 | 18,420 |
| BRAZOS RIVER | Texas | Scour Critical, Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1965 | 17,960 |
| WHEELER BRANCH | Texas | Scour Critical, Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1948 | 17,806 |
| San Antonio River | Texas | Scour Critical, Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1965 | 17,600 |
| PINEY CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical, Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1963 | 17,409 |
| FIVE MILE CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical, Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1953 | 17,321 |
| HCFCD P130-09-00 | Texas | Scour Critical, Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1967 | 17,217 |
| TIMBER CRK | Texas | Scour Critical, Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1950 | 16,436 |
| SPRING CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical, Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1984 | 16,126 |
| EAST FORK MCKAMY BRANCH | Texas | Scour Critical, Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1989 | 16,047 |
| HEATH CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical, Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1971 | 15,612 |
| PRICE CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical, Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1972 | 15,568 |
| Caney Crk | Texas | Scour Critical, Countermeasures Installed | Good | 2022 | 15,500 |
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.