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.
| 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.