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
HCFCD DITCH J-109-01-01 Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2009 50
LEMOLO #1 SPILLWAY Oregon Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1954 50
LEMOLO #1 CANAL Oregon Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1962 50
LEMOLO #1 CANAL Oregon Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1960 50
MEADE RUN Pennsylvania Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1976 50
PADGETTS CREEK South Carolina Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2023 50
KUHLMAN GULLY Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1950 50
SO. BR. GALE RIVER New Hampshire Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2011 50
E.BR. MILL BROOK New Hampshire Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1982 50
DRAW Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2009 50
N.BR. GALE RIVER New Hampshire Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1971 50
MOOSE CREEK Montana Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Poor 1956 50
SPRING CREEK Montana Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1996 50
W FK COTTONWOOD CREEK Montana Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1969 50
BOARD CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2013 50
CARP RIVER Michigan Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2024 50
INDIAN RIVER Michigan Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2023 50
FISHDAM RIVER Michigan Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2023 50
W FORK CRYSTAL CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1970 50
WATER WEKEPEKE BROOK Massachusetts Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2004 50
WATER ANGELICA BROOK Massachusetts Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1990 50
DRY CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2007 50
CANEY CREEK DRAW Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1991 50
PALMER LAKE Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1992 50
Tributary to Paria River Utah Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2024 50
LEON RIVER Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2000 50
BIG CLEVELAND CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1941 50
BLUE CREEK California Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1981 50
BRUSHY CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1991 50
DENTON CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 2004 50
CYPRESS CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1993 50
GOLD FORK RIVER Idaho Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1966 50
GOLD FORK RIVER Idaho Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1966 50
WALLER CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1995 50
DITCH Illinois Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1997 50
EAST MOUNTAIN CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1988 50
DRAW Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2002 50
DRAW Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 2006 50
SOUTH FISH CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1990 50
DRAW Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1984 50
Mauvaise Terre Creek Illinois Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2024 50
CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 1980 50
Little Sandy Creek Illinois Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2024 50
WILDCAT CREEK Kansas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Poor 1954 50
DRAINAGE DITCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2008 50
BEANS CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Fair 1938 50
DRAINAGE DITCH Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2008 50
Brushy Creek Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2023 50
LITTLE DEER CREEK Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2013 50
CEDAR CREEK DRAW Texas Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective Good 2003 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.