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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VALLEY CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1960 | 197 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1994 | 196 |
| ECLETO CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2009 | 196 |
| BRUSHY CREEK REL. | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1959 | 195 |
| GHOST CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1995 | 192 |
| SNOW CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1995 | 192 |
| WAFER CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2005 | 192 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1958 | 191 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1958 | 191 |
| CANEY CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1962 | 190 |
| CANEY CREEK BRANCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1962 | 190 |
| COTTONWOOD CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 2002 | 189 |
| EAST BRUSHY CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2006 | 187 |
| N. FORK LITTLE WICHITA | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1953 | 187 |
| LAKE CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1976 | 186 |
| CLEAR CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2010 | 186 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1960 | 185 |
| Draw | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1949 | 185 |
| WEST CEDAR CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1996 | 185 |
| EAST CEDAR CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1996 | 185 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1960 | 185 |
| BEAVER CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1960 | 185 |
| MOUNTAIN CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1996 | 185 |
| GRASSE RIVER | New York | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2024 | 184 |
| NORTH FISH CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1985 | 184 |
| Walnut Branch | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1986 | 184 |
| TUB INK BNCH FISH CK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1951 | 184 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1951 | 184 |
| Onion Creek | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2016 | 184 |
| DEER RIVER | New York | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2024 | 183 |
| DRAINAGE DITCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1963 | 183 |
| HOLLIDAY CREEK RELIEF | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1989 | 182 |
| HOLLIDAY CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2008 | 182 |
| HICKORY CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1986 | 180 |
| BROKENSTRAW CREEK | New York | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2023 | 180 |
| WOLF CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1990 | 180 |
| Draw | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2024 | 179 |
| ADAMS CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1956 | 178 |
| PANTHER CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1983 | 178 |
| KICKAPOO CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1965 | 177 |
| LITTLE DUCK CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 2005 | 176 |
| MAPLE SWAMP | South Carolina | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2023 | 175 |
| LITTLE ROCKY CREEK | South Carolina | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2023 | 175 |
| VILLAGE CREEK | South Carolina | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2024 | 175 |
| WILLOW MARSH BAYOU | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1970 | 175 |
| LISBON CREEK | New York | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2024 | 175 |
| TRIB FIVEMILE CREEK | New York | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2024 | 175 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1968 | 174 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1968 | 174 |
| PARKER CREEK NO 3 | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1968 | 174 |
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.