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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FISH CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1989 | 10 |
| UNNAMED CREEK | Alaska | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1982 | 10 |
| UNNAMED CREEK | Alaska | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1982 | 10 |
| UNNAMED CREEK | Alaska | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1982 | 10 |
| UNNAMED CREEK | Alaska | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Poor | 1980 | 10 |
| UNNAMED CREEK | Alaska | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Poor | 1980 | 10 |
| BOUNDRY SLOUGH | Alaska | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 2012 | 10 |
| BOUNDRY SLOUGH | Alaska | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Poor | 2012 | 10 |
| MEDIO CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2000 | 10 |
| NO DATA ENTERED | Missouri | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2024 | 10 |
| WANDERERS CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Poor | 2005 | 10 |
| BRANCH OF CLEAR CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1991 | 10 |
| MALLARD CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1995 | 10 |
| UNKNOWN CREEK | New Mexico | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 2022 | 10 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1985 | 10 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Poor | 1971 | 10 |
| SANDY CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2001 | 10 |
| GRASSHOPPER CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1999 | 10 |
| EAST MOUNTAIN CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2009 | 10 |
| SPRING CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1995 | 10 |
| SPRING CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1983 | 10 |
| RIGHT FORK OF PINE CREEK | West Virginia | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1998 | 10 |
| MUD FORK | West Virginia | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 2001 | 10 |
| RICHLAND CREEK TRIBUTARY | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 2008 | 10 |
| COTTONWOOD CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1991 | 10 |
| TRIB BRIER CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2015 | 10 |
| ROCKFISH CREEK | North Carolina | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Poor | 1970 | 10 |
| ROCKFISH CREEK | North Carolina | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Poor | 1960 | 10 |
| PANTHER CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2017 | 9 |
| PANTHER CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2017 | 9 |
| MIDDLE CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1988 | 9 |
| SALT CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2002 | 9 |
| COBB HOLLOW CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 2008 | 9 |
| BELKNAP CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2007 | 9 |
| DRAW | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2006 | 9 |
| CAMP CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1930 | 9 |
| LONG CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1996 | 8 |
| WEST BELKNAP CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1986 | 8 |
| BRANCH DENTON CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2013 | 7 |
| BRANCH FARMERS CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1994 | 7 |
| Fullerton Canal | Nebraska | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1970 | 5 |
| Bull Lake Dam Spillway | Wyoming | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Poor | 1938 | 5 |
| WILDCAT CREEK | Kansas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Poor | 1950 | 5 |
| SPRING CREEK | Iowa | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1946 | 5 |
| SUKKWAN STRAIT | Alaska | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Poor | 1970 | 5 |
| Red Willow Canal | Nebraska | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1970 | 5 |
| BRANCH DENTON CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1996 | 5 |
| UNKNOWN CREEK | New Mexico | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Poor | 1943 | 5 |
| UNKNOWN CREEK | New Mexico | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1943 | 5 |
| Geranium Canal | Nebraska | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 1970 | 5 |
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.