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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TRIB TO SHANNON CREEK | South Carolina | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2023 | 125 |
| ROCKY CREEK | South Carolina | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2022 | 125 |
| RUSH BRANCH CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1987 | 124 |
| LITTLE SALMON RIVER | New York | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2024 | 124 |
| PECAN CRK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1955 | 123 |
| BARNETT BR | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1955 | 123 |
| BOGGY CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1957 | 122 |
| COWHOUSE CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 2012 | 122 |
| BOX CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Poor | 1990 | 121 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1957 | 120 |
| DOGWOOD CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1961 | 120 |
| SMITH CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 2005 | 120 |
| DRAINAGE DITCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1975 | 120 |
| Little Mulberry | Arkansas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1965 | 120 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1961 | 120 |
| DRAINAGE DITCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2005 | 120 |
| GIN CREEK | Georgia | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2024 | 120 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1957 | 120 |
| Cottonwood Slough | Arkansas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Poor | 1965 | 120 |
| BAKER BRANCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Poor | 1950 | 117 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1960 | 116 |
| BULLHIDE CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2009 | 115 |
| PLUM CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1938 | 114 |
| GROVE CREEK TRIBUTARY | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 2000 | 114 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1960 | 114 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1960 | 114 |
| EAST MAIN DRAIN | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1969 | 113 |
| LINNVILLE BAYOU | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2010 | 113 |
| ADAMS CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1989 | 112 |
| Bear Creek | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1993 | 112 |
| DRY CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1984 | 112 |
| N FLOODWAY PILOT CHANNEL | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1974 | 111 |
| WILLOW CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2008 | 111 |
| HERRING BR OF BIG SANDY | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2019 | 110 |
| INDIAN CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 2006 | 110 |
| HAGGINS BRANCH CREEK | South Carolina | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1997 | 110 |
| BIG CYPRESS CREEK | Georgia | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2023 | 110 |
| CRYSTAL CREEK DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2007 | 110 |
| WALNUT CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 2009 | 110 |
| WILLOW CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2001 | 110 |
| HAGGINS BRANCH | South Carolina | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1997 | 110 |
| TOWNSEND CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2002 | 110 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1999 | 110 |
| UPPER CROOKED RIVER | Idaho | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2024 | 110 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2002 | 110 |
| CANEY CREEK NO 2 | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2009 | 110 |
| CUMMINS CREEK TRIBUTARY | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2025 | 110 |
| LAKE RAY HUBBARD TRIB | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1974 | 109 |
| SPRING CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1955 | 109 |
| SPRING CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1955 | 109 |
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.