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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ATTOYAC BAYOU RELIEF | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2024 | 38 |
| ELIZABETH CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1943 | 38 |
| LA NANA BAYOU | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2024 | 38 |
| BEAVER CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1978 | 38 |
| HICKORY CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 2012 | 37 |
| BOND CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2013 | 37 |
| HERRING BR OF BIG SANDY | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1970 | 37 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1918 | 37 |
| DOZIER CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1999 | 36 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2013 | 36 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2007 | 36 |
| TIMBER CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2008 | 36 |
| LITTLE SALT CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2008 | 36 |
| BOGGY CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1961 | 36 |
| PILOT GROVE CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1998 | 36 |
| COLD BROOK | New York | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2024 | 35 |
| EAST BELKNAP CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 2004 | 35 |
| EAST BELKNAP CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Poor | 1982 | 35 |
| AQUILLA CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2013 | 35 |
| CHAMBER CREEK TRIBUTARY | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1996 | 35 |
| WHITE OAK BAYOU | Arkansas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1972 | 35 |
| BRANCH MALLARD CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2007 | 35 |
| BRANCH BRUSHY CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1991 | 35 |
| Clear Creek | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Poor | 2013 | 35 |
| SALT CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2009 | 35 |
| ALLIGATOR CREEK TRIB | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 2013 | 34 |
| CHINA CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1989 | 34 |
| CREEK | North Dakota | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2024 | 33 |
| BARREL SPRING CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1921 | 32 |
| S FK LITTLE WICHITA RI | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1995 | 32 |
| DAN CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1997 | 32 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2005 | 32 |
| BELKNAP CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1991 | 31 |
| SYCAMORE CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1991 | 31 |
| MILL CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1995 | 31 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 2006 | 31 |
| S FK LITTLE WICHITA RI | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2008 | 31 |
| BRAZOS RIVER TRIBUTARY | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2003 | 30 |
| VILLAGE CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1988 | 30 |
| WEST FORK OF POND FORK | West Virginia | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Poor | 2024 | 30 |
| DRY VALLEY CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2006 | 30 |
| INDIAN CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2002 | 30 |
| Gauley River | West Virginia | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1980 | 30 |
| MIddle Run | West Virginia | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Poor | 1994 | 30 |
| BRANCH BRUSHY CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1997 | 30 |
| MUD FORK | West Virginia | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 2002 | 30 |
| BEAR CREEK TRIB | Georgia | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2023 | 30 |
| DOBBS CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2004 | 30 |
| BRANCH OF CAMP CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 2002 | 30 |
| SALT CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2009 | 30 |
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.