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
BINGHAM CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 2001 59
MIDDLE CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1978 58
PIN OAK CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2013 58
PLUM CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1961 57
JONES CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2024 56
LUCAS CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2008 56
LAKE CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1991 55
DRAINAGE DITCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2005 55
WILLS CREEK Alabama Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Poor 1961 55
AQUILLA CREEK BRANCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2005 55
POND CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2013 55
MILLS CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2016 55
STEELE CREEK RELIEF Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2016 55
SALT CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2006 55
ECLETO CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1999 55
MCTENNEL CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2005 55
STEEL CREEK TRIBUTARY Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2024 55
ECLETO CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 2004 55
RHYMES CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 2007 55
CHRISTMAS CREEK TRIB Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2022 55
MUSTANG CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2013 55
COTTONWOOD CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2005 55
DRAW Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 2006 55
HOGPEN CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2013 55
BIG CREEK E RELIEF Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2007 55
BIG CREEK W RELIEF Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2013 55
BIG SANDY CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2023 55
HUNTER BRANCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1986 55
BLACK LAKE CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1988 55
TRIB OF N FK CEDAR CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1991 55
TRIB PINEY CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Poor 1960 55
CONNOR CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1990 55
TRIB DEANS CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2004 55
Blanco Creek Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2024 54
BOGGY CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1963 54
KICKAPOO CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 2009 54
DUCK CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1997 53
E FK LITTLE WICHITA RIV Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2004 53
Trib of Chiltipin Creek Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2024 52
LITTLE TEHUACANA CRK TRB Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2011 52
CROOKED CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1922 52
Peters Swale Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2023 52
DUCK CREEK TRIBUTARY Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1970 52
DRAINAGE DITCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2008 52
VILLAGE CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1997 52
DRAINAGE DITCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1984 52
ANTELOPE CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2004 51
DRAW Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1991 51
JERNIGAN CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1951 51
DRY CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2007 50

Scour Critical Bridges by State

States ranked by number of scour critical bridges.

StateScour CriticalUnaddressedCountermeasuresIneffective
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 — UnaddressedBridge is scour critical with no countermeasures installed. The foundation is vulnerable and no protective action has been taken.
Code 3 — Countermeasures InstalledProtective measures (riprap, sheet piling, etc.) have been installed to reduce scour risk, but the bridge remains classified as scour critical.
Code 6 — Countermeasures IneffectiveProtective 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.