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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Creek | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1959 | 100 |
| Cache Creek | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1962 | 100 |
| CREEK | Oklahoma | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1960 | 100 |
| LITTLE CAHABA RIVER | Alabama | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Poor | 1904 | 100 |
| HCFCD DITCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1993 | 100 |
| DRY CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2003 | 100 |
| COLLIER CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1963 | 100 |
| COTTONWOOD CR | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2008 | 100 |
| MUHLE CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1950 | 100 |
| LITTLE CYPRESS CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2009 | 100 |
| EAST FORK PECAN CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1951 | 100 |
| PANTHER CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1964 | 100 |
| LITTLE WOLF CREEK | California | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2018 | 100 |
| East Caney Creek | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2015 | 100 |
| Cache Creek | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1950 | 100 |
| SHAWNEE CRK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1953 | 100 |
| LITTLE LAKE CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Poor | 1990 | 100 |
| DRAINAGE | Montana | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Poor | 1953 | 100 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1930 | 100 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1965 | 100 |
| BRUSHY CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2004 | 100 |
| WATER WILDER BROOK | Massachusetts | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2006 | 100 |
| WATER WETLAND | Massachusetts | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2006 | 100 |
| TRIB SWEETWATER CK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2005 | 100 |
| PIN OAK CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 2024 | 100 |
| ROCK CREEK | California | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2017 | 100 |
| WILHITE CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1950 | 100 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1959 | 100 |
| WATER DEER BROOK | Massachusetts | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2000 | 100 |
| TANTABOGUE CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1985 | 100 |
| HCFCD DITCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1994 | 100 |
| SIX MILE CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1979 | 100 |
| LAKE CREEK TRIBUTARY 2 | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 2009 | 100 |
| BOARDTREE CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1995 | 100 |
| HCFCD DITCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 2010 | 100 |
| PEACH CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 2015 | 100 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1990 | 100 |
| WATER MILL RIVER | Massachusetts | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1991 | 100 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1983 | 100 |
| AYTES BRANCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1957 | 100 |
| FOSS CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2002 | 100 |
| HALLS BAYOU | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2010 | 100 |
| WATER BROOK | Massachusetts | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2000 | 100 |
| LORING BRANCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1996 | 100 |
| HCFCD DITCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2005 | 100 |
| CARRIZITOS CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2024 | 100 |
| PLUM CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 2008 | 100 |
| LONG BRANCH OF ELM FORK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 2010 | 100 |
| PICKERING CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1955 | 100 |
| HCFCD DITCH | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1988 | 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.