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
SWARTZ CREEK Michigan Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Poor 1969 33,600
GRAND RIVER Michigan Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1929 33,588
Santiam Overflow No. 2 Oregon Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1994 33,486
MILL CREEK Michigan Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1961 33,463
MILL CREEK Michigan Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1961 33,463
Santiam Overflow No. 3 Oregon Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1958 33,446
Santiam Overflow No. 4 Oregon Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1958 33,446
Santiam Overflow No. 3 Oregon Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1994 33,446
Santiam Overflow No. 4 Oregon Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1994 33,446
CLACKAMAS RIVER Oregon Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1933 33,434
S CHANNEL GRAND RIVER Michigan Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1957 33,375
S CHANNEL GRAND RIVER Michigan Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1931 33,375
LICK RUN Indiana Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Good 1992 33,248
PLEASANT RUN CREEK Indiana Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1991 33,232
WEST PASSAGE NARRA BAY Rhode Island Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1992 33,100
Intracoastal Waterway Florida Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1985 33,007
SPRING CREEK Colorado Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1948 33,000
KALIHI STRM Hawaii Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Good 1957 33,000
KALIHI STRM Hawaii Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Good 1957 33,000
I-465 EB/WB LICK CR Indiana Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1962 32,999
WHITE RIVER Indiana Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1948 32,885
MILLSTONE RIVER New Jersey Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Poor 1936 32,880
DORCHEAT BAYOU Louisiana Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1992 32,869
DORCHEAR BAYOU REL Louisiana Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1992 32,869
LA PLATA RIVER Puerto Rico Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1971 32,850
WATER NEPONSET RIVER Massachusetts Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1765 32,845
PENNYPACK CREEK Pennsylvania Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Poor 1968 32,800
TONQUISH CREEK Michigan Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1926 32,679
LOPATCONG CREEK New Jersey Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1938 32,531
MARKET AVE & GRAND RIVER Michigan Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1963 32,500
MARKET AVE & GRAND RIVER Michigan Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1963 32,500
HACKENSACK RIVER New Jersey Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1955 32,446
MILL CREEK Pennsylvania Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1956 32,446
BUFFALO CREEK North Carolina Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1973 32,250
BUFFALO CREEK North Carolina Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1973 32,250
INTRACOASTAL WATERWAY Florida Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1979 32,250
WILLAMETTE RIVER Oregon Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1910 32,243
COMB ACUS RIV/LOC ST/RR Massachusetts Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1901 32,200
W.BRANCH RED CLAY CREEK Pennsylvania Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1965 32,115
WARDS CREEK Louisiana Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1967 32,092
CITY STREETS Louisiana Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1969 32,092
SAVANNAH RIVER South Carolina Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1976 32,050
SAVANNAH RIVER South Carolina Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1976 32,050
Owl Creek Oregon Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1965 32,045
MCALPINE CREEK North Carolina Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Good 1979 32,000
S. CHICKAMAUGA CREEK Tennessee Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1960 31,976
ACCESS ROAD SILVER CR. Indiana Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1972 31,972
JACOBS CREEK Indiana Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1972 31,972
Mill Creek Oregon Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1930 31,897
PLUM CREEK Michigan Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed Fair 1955 31,883

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.