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
PARKER CREEK NO 3 Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1968 174
RED OAK CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1995 174
Poteau River Arkansas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1976 173
FOUNTAIN CREEK TRIBUTARY Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 2003 173
BRANCH OF ROCK CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1941 173
DRAW Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2013 171
CANEY CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 2001 170
Picosa Creek Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2022 170
Drainage Ditch Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2023 170
DRAW Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 2000 170
Palarm Creek Arkansas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 2003 170
TIMBER CRK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1967 170
WEST CANEY CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1967 170
DRAW Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1956 169
WILLOWOAK CRK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1951 169
WILDCAT CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1956 169
BIG SANDY CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1975 169
BRUSHY CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Poor 2003 168
TURKEY CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1968 168
SCOTT CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1986 164
Old West Main Drain Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2024 163
PINE CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1953 163
WANDERERS CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2007 163
HUFFSTUTTLE CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1954 163
PALUXY RIVER Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1980 162
DRY CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2009 160
DRAW Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1981 160
CYPRESS CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2002 160
LAKE CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1990 159
ROCK CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1990 158
CUTHAND CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2006 157
BOULDER RIVER Montana Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1940 157
BOGGY CREEK SLOUGH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1951 157
BRANCH BRUSHY CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1993 157
BOGGY CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1951 157
WEST BR. CONCORD RIVER Maine Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1938 155
W FORK JERNIGAN CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1956 154
DRAW Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1927 154
MUSTANG CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2012 152
DRAW Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1986 152
DRAW Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2009 152
La Moine River Illinois Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2003 150
SULPHUR SPRINGS FORK West Virginia Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 2015 150
BUFFALO CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2005 150
HONDO CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2007 150
Verde Creek Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2022 150
BESSIES CREEK DRAW Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2003 150
NORTH HAYES CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 2007 150
RIGHT FK NINEMILE CK West Virginia Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Poor 1984 150
DRAW Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1935 150

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.