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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NORTH HAYES CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 2007 | 150 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1935 | 150 |
| COAL CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2011 | 150 |
| MILLER FORK | West Virginia | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2017 | 150 |
| Hacker Creek | Arkansas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1979 | 150 |
| La Moine River | Illinois | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2003 | 150 |
| Verde Creek | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2022 | 150 |
| LYNN CRK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1965 | 150 |
| BRAZOS RIVER DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1970 | 150 |
| BESSIES CREEK DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2003 | 150 |
| SPRING CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1992 | 148 |
| EAST MAIN DRAIN | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1969 | 148 |
| Wanderers Creek | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1964 | 148 |
| WILLAWALLA CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1993 | 146 |
| BRANCH OF SALT CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1991 | 144 |
| TRIB COTTONWOOD CRK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1987 | 141 |
| HARMON RD/CHAPPEL CREEK | Ohio | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2024 | 140 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2016 | 140 |
| BRUSH CREEK CANAL | Utah | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2024 | 140 |
| BRANCH FARMERS CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1985 | 140 |
| BESSIES CREEK DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 2009 | 140 |
| PETERS CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1959 | 139 |
| EVAS KILL | New York | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2024 | 137 |
| WILLIAMS CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1990 | 137 |
| Sandy Creek | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1992 | 137 |
| BRALLEY POOL CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2002 | 137 |
| SALT CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2008 | 136 |
| COLEMAN CREEK | Arkansas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 2006 | 136 |
| BERRY CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1996 | 135 |
| White Oak Creek | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2013 | 134 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1967 | 134 |
| White Oak Creek Relief | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2013 | 134 |
| Stouts Creek | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2011 | 134 |
| COWSKIN CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2005 | 133 |
| VILLAGE CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1952 | 133 |
| LAKE CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1996 | 131 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1940 | 130 |
| PECAN CREEK RELIEF | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 2000 | 130 |
| POST OAK CREEK BRANCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2009 | 130 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 2007 | 130 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1952 | 129 |
| WATER CROCKER POND INLET | Massachusetts | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2005 | 129 |
| MOORES BRANCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2007 | 128 |
| Draw | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2024 | 127 |
| LITTLE CREEK | South Carolina | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2023 | 125 |
| TRIB TO SHANNON CREEK | South Carolina | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2023 | 125 |
| OPOSSUM BRANCH | South Carolina | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 2023 | 125 |
| WATER ARNOLDS BROOK | Massachusetts | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2015 | 125 |
| ROCKY CREEK | South Carolina | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2022 | 125 |
| TRIB TO SHANNON CREEK | South Carolina | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2023 | 125 |
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.