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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BRANCH SANDY CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2013 | 108 |
| TENMILE CREEK | Montana | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2023 | 107 |
| MULBERRY CR | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2005 | 106 |
| WETLAND | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2024 | 105 |
| WETLAND | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2024 | 105 |
| SMALL | Iowa | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2023 | 104 |
| DRAINAGE DITCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2004 | 104 |
| STEELE CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1970 | 103 |
| SQUAW CREEK | Wisconsin | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 2020 | 103 |
| CLEAR CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2024 | 103 |
| Draw | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1954 | 103 |
| BRUSHY CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1999 | 102 |
| JENNINGS CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1954 | 101 |
| DUCK CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 2007 | 100 |
| WHITE ROCK CREEK TRIB | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2024 | 100 |
| LAKE CREEK TRIBUTARY 2 | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 2009 | 100 |
| LORING BRANCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1996 | 100 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1930 | 100 |
| DIRTY WOMAN CREEK | Montana | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1970 | 100 |
| ROCK CREEK | California | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2017 | 100 |
| WATER MILL RIVER | Massachusetts | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1991 | 100 |
| PEACH CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 2015 | 100 |
| HCFCD DITCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1988 | 100 |
| KNOWLTON CREEK | Idaho | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2024 | 100 |
| BARNETT BR | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1951 | 100 |
| WATER DEER BROOK | Massachusetts | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2000 | 100 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1986 | 100 |
| LITTLE CYPRESS CREEK REL | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2009 | 100 |
| HALLS BAYOU | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2010 | 100 |
| Lake Creek | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1959 | 100 |
| SIX MILE CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1979 | 100 |
| DRY CREEK RELIEF | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2003 | 100 |
| CREEK | Oklahoma | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1960 | 100 |
| TOWNSEND CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1995 | 100 |
| HCFCD DITCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2005 | 100 |
| POST OAK CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1991 | 100 |
| COTTONWOOD CR | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2008 | 100 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1965 | 100 |
| CEDAR CREEK TRIB | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 2002 | 100 |
| Plants Creek | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1951 | 100 |
| LITTLE CAHABA RIVER | Alabama | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Poor | 1904 | 100 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1990 | 100 |
| PECAN BAYOU | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1958 | 100 |
| RUSH CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2006 | 100 |
| LITTLE CYPRESS CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2009 | 100 |
| NORTH MAIN DRAIN | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1995 | 100 |
| DRY CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2003 | 100 |
| North Fork Sunday Creek | Montana | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2024 | 100 |
| NORTH FORK CEDAR CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 2004 | 100 |
| FOSS CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2002 | 100 |
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.