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
LINDSEY CREEK New York Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2024 209
Drainage Ditch Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2014 208
WEST FORK POND CR Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2009 207
DIABLO TAILRACE Washington Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1962 205
BRIAR CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1968 205
COWHOUSE CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 2004 205
BRUSHY CRK REL Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1962 204
WATER CARPNTR RSV INLT N Massachusetts Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2005 200
COTTONWOOD CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2023 200
MCDONALD CREEK Montana Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2024 200
DAVIS BRANCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Poor 2000 200
WATER UNNAMED STREAM Massachusetts Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2015 200
WATER CARPNTR RSV INLT S Massachusetts Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2005 200
WATER BENNETTS BROOK Massachusetts Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1991 200
Cibolo Creek Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2022 200
WOODLANDS WATERWAY Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1995 200
WATER STREAM Massachusetts Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1955 200
RACCOON CREEK West Virginia Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1929 200
EGYPT CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1985 200
BELL BOTTOM CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1986 200
DRAW Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2015 200
STEWART CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 2005 200
Branch Alabama Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1976 200
BOGGS GULLY Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2002 200
DRAINAGE DITCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2012 200
WOODLANDS WATERWAY Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1995 200
BRANCH to Kingstree cana South Carolina Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Poor 1961 200
DRAINAGE DITCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2012 200
Spear Creek Alabama Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Poor 1986 200
CHICKSAW CREEK South Carolina Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2023 200
DRAW Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2013 200
WATER BENNETTS BRK TRIB Massachusetts Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1991 200
Anacostia River Outlet District of Columbia Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1984 200
HCFCD DITCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 2001 200
STOUTS CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1963 200
WHITE ROCK CREEK TRIB Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 2005 200
HCFCD DITCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2012 200
BOGGS GULLY Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2000 200
LA CROSSE RIVER Wisconsin Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2021 200
CYPRESS CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2011 200
N Fork Humboldt Rvr Nevada Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2024 200
HCFCD DITCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2007 200
Drainage Ditch Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2022 200
LITTLE CANEY CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1990 200
DRAW Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2015 200
MEDIO CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1994 200
WATER WETLAND Massachusetts Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 2009 200
COTTONWOOD CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1995 199
Caney Creek Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2014 199
VALLEY CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1960 197

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.