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
BIG CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1964 233
DRAINAGE DITCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2006 233
DRAINAGE DITCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2000 233
DRAINAGE DITCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2006 233
LITTLE WICHITA RIVER REL Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2002 233
SANDY CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1989 233
LIVE OAK CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1975 233
WOODSONS GULLY Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2013 233
E FORK JERNIGAN CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2004 233
LIVE OAK CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1975 233
Stewarts Creek Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2023 233
FIVE MILE CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1970 231
LITTLE VINCE BAYOU Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1980 230
EAST BELKNAP CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1958 227
HOSTETTER CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2009 226
RICHLAND CHEEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1926 226
TRB TO NORTH TYGER RIVER South Carolina Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2020 225
GILLS CREEK South Carolina Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2023 225
SPEARS CREEK South Carolina Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2000 225
DRAW Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2006 223
MEDINA RIVER Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2023 222
DRAW Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1940 221
MUSTANG BAYOU Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2006 220
WATER BAYBERRY HILL BRK Massachusetts Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1970 220
DRAINAGE DITCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1988 220
CHERRY CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2000 219
HICKORY CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1960 219
DRAINAGE DITCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1972 217
E. LAFFERTY CREEK Arkansas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2024 216
MITCHELL CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1959 216
DRAW Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1963 216
Godwin Creek Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2024 216
PARSON CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1953 215
WATER UNNAMED WATERWAY Massachusetts Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1994 214
WEST FK SUNFLOWER CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1956 213
MIDDLE SULPHUR RIV Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1967 213
WEST FORK BLUFF CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1956 213
Nelson Creek Washington Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2022 213
DRAW Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1967 213
CANEY CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1957 213
GUADALUPE RIVER Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2000 213
BRANCH OF SALT CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1988 212
CHAMBERLIN POND New York Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2024 211
JOHNS CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1990 210
TALPACATE CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1989 210
Big Creek Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1996 210
ARNOLD BRANCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2005 210
DRAW Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1971 210
LINDSEY CREEK New York Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2024 209
LITTLE SKID CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1971 209

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.