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
ONSTOTT CRK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1948 252
GREENS BAYOU Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2009 252
HCFCD DITCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2008 252
E FORK GOOSE CRK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1989 252
GREENS BAYOU Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2009 252
BRUSHY CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2009 251
MUSTANG BAYOU Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2006 250
HCFCD DITCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2002 250
WHITE ROCK CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1990 250
DETENTION BASIN Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2012 250
BRAZOS RIVER REL Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2011 250
HCFCD DITCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2004 250
Alex Branch-Wash. Co. Arkansas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Poor 1965 250
GRAGSTON CREEK West Virginia Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1940 250
TRIB TO MITCHELL SWAMP South Carolina Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 2023 250
LOUSING SWAMP South Carolina Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2023 250
DETENTION BASIN Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 2010 250
DETENTION BASIN Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2009 250
DETENTION BASIN Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2011 250
STOUTS CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1963 250
PINE CREEK West Virginia Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Poor 1986 250
HCFCD DITCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2004 250
Medina River Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Poor 1980 250
NICKABURR CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1970 250
BRIAR CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 2002 243
LAKE CONROE Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1988 242
BRUSHY CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1962 240
TAYLOR GULLY Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2015 240
NO NAME CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2005 239
DRY FRIO RIVER 2ND XING Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2005 239
ROCK CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1966 239
DRY FRIO RIVER 3RD XING Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2005 239
DRY FRIO RIVER 1ST XING Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2005 239
McCLURE CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1993 237
SISTER GROVE CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1998 236
BURR OAK CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2007 234
BRUSHY CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1991 234
PANTHER CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1955 234
FEATHERS CREEK New York Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2024 234
SCATTER BRANCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1923 234
DRAINAGE DITCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2000 233
LAKE Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2015 233
DRAINAGE DITCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2000 233
DRAINAGE DITCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2006 233
DRAINAGE CANAL Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1985 233
WOODSONS GULLY Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2013 233
DRAINAGE DITCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2006 233
DRAINAGE DITCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2006 233
LIVE OAK CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1975 233
LIVE OAK CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1975 233

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.