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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drain | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 2020 | — |
| LUBBUB CREEK | Alabama | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2024 | — |
| STREAM - HAMILTON 50R36 | Alaska | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1983 | — |
| STONY CREEK | New York | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 2024 | — |
| SANFORD LAKE | New York | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2024 | — |
| OUTLET LAKE GEORGE | New York | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2024 | — |
| Poesten Kill | New York | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2024 | — |
| BROWNS CREEK | New York | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 2006 | — |
| SHELDRAKE RIVER | New York | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2024 | — |
| East Branch Sandy Creek | New York | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Poor | 1958 | — |
| UNKNOWN STREAM | New York | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1990 | — |
| Mud Creek | New York | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 2024 | — |
| Stephens Brook | New York | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1931 | — |
| PUTNAM CREEK | New York | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2024 | — |
| Mud Creek | New York | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2024 | — |
| Plattekill Creek | New York | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2024 | — |
| ENGLISH BROOK 9 9 1710 | New York | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2024 | — |
| SKAGIT RIVER | Washington | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1940 | — |
| SLOUGH | California | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Poor | 1945 | — |
| BLACK RIVER | New York | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2024 | — |
| WATER DRAINAGE | Massachusetts | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Good | 2004 | — |
| WATER NORTHERN CANAL | Massachusetts | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Poor | 1848 | — |
| TRENTON CHANNEL | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Ineffective | Fair | 1913 | — |
| SAN GABRIEL RIVER | California | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1964 | 255,000 |
| SPRING CREEK | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1992 | 246,848 |
| RIO HONDO | California | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1966 | 224,000 |
| SUISUN CREEK | California | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1932 | 202,000 |
| LOOKING GLASS RIVER | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1961 | 192,000 |
| LOOKING GLASS RIVER | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1961 | 192,000 |
| SAN PEDRO CREEK & RR | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1986 | 173,066 |
| HACKETT CREEK | Oregon | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1965 | 165,900 |
| ROUGE RIVER | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1970 | 164,804 |
| MRKT.MAIN.FRVW ST&SADRIV | New Jersey | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1962 | 162,345 |
| SR 14 BNRR | Washington | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1982 | 160,000 |
| TUALATIN RIVER | Oregon | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1975 | 156,016 |
| Columbia R./So. Channel | Oregon | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1982 | 148,936 |
| Columbia River | Oregon | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1982 | 148,936 |
| SPROUT BROOK | New Jersey | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1933 | 145,772 |
| I-95 RMP 047/FIVE MI RIV | Connecticut | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1956 | 136,600 |
| ANACOSTIA RIVER | District of Columbia | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1953 | 131,500 |
| Trinity Ri University Dr | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1951 | 131,220 |
| Oregon Slough | Oregon | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1987 | 125,775 |
| WATTS BRANCH | District of Columbia | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1956 | 122,000 |
| SEEKONK RVR & STS | Rhode Island | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1930 | 120,000 |
| WATER MERRIMACK RIVER | Massachusetts | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1959 | 119,818 |
| MANOA PALOLO STRM | Hawaii | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1967 | 112,200 |
| MANOA PALOLO STRM(KING) | Hawaii | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1948 | 112,200 |
| BIG EAGLE CREEK | Indiana | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1967 | 109,416 |
| BUFFALO BYU/ALLEN PKWY | Texas | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1955 | 103,563 |
| Willamette River | Oregon | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1973 | 103,251 |
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.