Scour Critical Bridges in Washington
516 bridges in Washington 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 516 bridges in Washington have been identified as vulnerable to scour damage.
| Bridge | State | Scour Status | Condition | Year Built | ADT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EAST DEER CR | Washington | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1900 | 645 |
| LAKE CR. | Washington | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1960 | 642 |
| SHEEP CREEK | Washington | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1937 | 624 |
| OLEQUA CREEK | Washington | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1972 | 621 |
| MOX CHEHALIS CREEK | Washington | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1964 | 605 |
| MOX CHEHALIS CREEK | Washington | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1965 | 573 |
| SINCLAIR INLET | Washington | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1961 | 560 |
| CAMPBELL CREEK | Washington | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1960 | 541 |
| CLOQUALLUM CREEK | Washington | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1985 | 527 |
| BIG CREEK | Washington | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1960 | 519 |
| EDITH CREEK | Washington | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1926 | 500 |
| ASOTIN CREEK | Washington | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1920 | 500 |
| LITTLE WHITE SALMON RIVE | Washington | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1957 | 476 |
| ROCK CREEK | Washington | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1971 | 475 |
| STEARNS CREEK | Washington | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1975 | 474 |
| DRY RUN | Washington | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1947 | 472 |
| WILDCAT CREEK | Washington | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1966 | 461 |
| MASON CREEK | Washington | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1959 | 446 |
| STEVENS CREEK | Washington | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1961 | 439 |
| CAMP CREEK | Washington | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1971 | 437 |
| DRY CREEK | Washington | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1921 | 429 |
| SPRING VALLEY BRANCH | Washington | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1921 | 429 |
| PILCHUCK RIVER | Washington | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1924 | 421 |
| MILL CREEK | Washington | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1960 | 420 |
| ELLIOTT BAY | Washington | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1964 | 412 |
| UNION FLAT CREEK | Washington | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1973 | 407 |
| CLALLAM SLOUGH | Washington | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1959 | 400 |
| EVANS CREEK | Washington | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1913 | 397 |
| COWICHE CREEK | Washington | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1950 | 393 |
| CASE INLET | Washington | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1920 | 385 |
| MILL CREEK | Washington | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1981 | 380 |
| EAST FORK SATSOP RIVER | Washington | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1993 | 376 |
| DRY GULCH | Washington | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1952 | 366 |
| ROUNDTOP CREEK | Washington | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1967 | 364 |
| GRAYS RIVER | Washington | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1989 | 361 |
| LITTLE BOULDER CR | Washington | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1900 | 358 |
| DRY CREEK | Washington | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1977 | 347 |
| S FORK SKYKOMISH RIVER | Washington | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1957 | 343 |
| UNION FLAT CREEK | Washington | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1969 | 314 |
| BLIND BAY | Washington | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 2004 | 308 |
| OVERFLOW CHANNEL | Washington | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1924 | 301 |
| REBEL FLAT CREEK | Washington | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1964 | 300 |
| PINE CREEK | Washington | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1971 | 300 |
| BLACK CREEK | Washington | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1958 | 290 |
| S.FORK CHEHALIS RIVER | Washington | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1955 | 284 |
| N.FK. NEWAUKUM RIVER | Washington | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1962 | 274 |
| SINKING CREEK | Washington | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1950 | 267 |
| LINCOLN CREEK | Washington | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1977 | 266 |
| COULEE CREEK | Washington | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1923 | 266 |
| ENTIAT RIVER | Washington | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1957 | 246 |
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.