Montana River bridge
Streambed scour is the leading cause of bridge failure in the United States resulting in over 60 percent of all failures. The Alaska Science Center, in cooperation with the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities and the Alaska Railroad, is researching streambed scour through scour monitoring, hydraulic modeling, and data collection during high flows.
Return to Water
Streambed scour is the leading cause of bridge failure in the United States resulting in over 60 percent of all failures. Costs associated with repair and the societal repercussions associated with failures are amplified in Alaska where alternate ground transportation routes between many cities do not exist. Damage to bridges and culverts during two floods on the Kenai Peninsula in 2002 was estimated at over 19 million dollars and prevented vehicular traffic to and from the lower Kenai Peninsula for three days.
The USGS Alaska Science Center, in cooperation with the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (ADOT&PF), is researching streambed scour through scour monitoring, hydrodynamic modeling, and data collection during high flows.

Bridges | Real-time Data | Real-time Imagery |
---|---|---|
Anchor River BN 666 | Real-time Data | Real-time Imagery |
Anchor River BN 910 | -- | Real-time Imagery |
Chilkat River BN 742 | Real-time Data | Real-time Imagery |
Copper River BN 1187 | Real-time Data | -- |
Glacier Creek BN 999 | Real-time Data | -- |
Kashwitna River BN 212 | Real-time Data | Real-time Imagery |
Kasilof River BN 670 | Real-time Data | Real-time Imagery |
Knik River near Palmer BN 539 | Real-time Data | -- |
Lowe River BN 557 | Real-time Data | Real-time Imagery |
Lowe River BN 1383 | Real-time Data | -- |
Nenana River near Windy BN 1243 | Real-time Data | -- |
Red Cloud River BN 983 | Real-time Data | Real-time Imagery |
Salcha River near Salchaket BN 527 | Real-time Data | -- |
Sheridan River BN 230 | Real-time Data | Real-time Imagery |
Susitna River near Denali BN 687 | -- | Real-time Imagery |
Tanana River at Big Delta BN 524 | Real-time Data | -- |
Tanana River at Nenana BN 202 | Real-time Data | -- |
Tazlina River BN 573 | Real-time Data | Real-time Imagery |
Sounding cross section surveys at Alaska bridge crossings are available in a dynamic data release at: https://doi.org/10.5066/P9G663NX.
Below are data or web applications associated with this project.
Below are multimedia items associated with this project.
Salcha River debris near Salchaket
Scour under a bridge on the Kenai Peninsula in 2002.
Scour under a bridge on the Kenai Peninsula in 2002.
Salcha River bridge near Salchaket
Nenana River sonar top near Windy
Nenana River pier near Windy
Lowe River Flood outside of Valdez, Alaska
Lowe River Flood outside of Valdez, Alaska
Tanana River bridge at Nenana
Montana River sonar on a bridge
Sounding weight on the Copper River Delta, Alaska
Sounding weight on the Copper River Delta, Alaska
Sheridan River scour hole
Below are publications associated with this project.
Application of the multi-dimensional surface water modeling system at Bridge 339, Copper River Highway, Alaska
Geomorphology and river dynamics of the lower Copper River, Alaska
Hydraulic survey and scour assessment of Bridge 524, Tanana River at Big Delta, Alaska
Modeling surface-water flow and sediment mobility with the Multi-Dimensional Surface-Water Modeling System (MD_SWMS)
Calculation of scour depth at the Parks Highway Bridge on the Tanana River at Nenana, Alaska, using one- and two-dimensional hydraulic models
Development and Calibration of Two-Dimensional Hydrodynamic Model of the Tanana River near Tok, Alaska
Below are partners associated with this project.
Streambed scour is the leading cause of bridge failure in the United States resulting in over 60 percent of all failures. The Alaska Science Center, in cooperation with the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities and the Alaska Railroad, is researching streambed scour through scour monitoring, hydraulic modeling, and data collection during high flows.
Return to Water
Streambed scour is the leading cause of bridge failure in the United States resulting in over 60 percent of all failures. Costs associated with repair and the societal repercussions associated with failures are amplified in Alaska where alternate ground transportation routes between many cities do not exist. Damage to bridges and culverts during two floods on the Kenai Peninsula in 2002 was estimated at over 19 million dollars and prevented vehicular traffic to and from the lower Kenai Peninsula for three days.
The USGS Alaska Science Center, in cooperation with the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (ADOT&PF), is researching streambed scour through scour monitoring, hydrodynamic modeling, and data collection during high flows.

Bridges | Real-time Data | Real-time Imagery |
---|---|---|
Anchor River BN 666 | Real-time Data | Real-time Imagery |
Anchor River BN 910 | -- | Real-time Imagery |
Chilkat River BN 742 | Real-time Data | Real-time Imagery |
Copper River BN 1187 | Real-time Data | -- |
Glacier Creek BN 999 | Real-time Data | -- |
Kashwitna River BN 212 | Real-time Data | Real-time Imagery |
Kasilof River BN 670 | Real-time Data | Real-time Imagery |
Knik River near Palmer BN 539 | Real-time Data | -- |
Lowe River BN 557 | Real-time Data | Real-time Imagery |
Lowe River BN 1383 | Real-time Data | -- |
Nenana River near Windy BN 1243 | Real-time Data | -- |
Red Cloud River BN 983 | Real-time Data | Real-time Imagery |
Salcha River near Salchaket BN 527 | Real-time Data | -- |
Sheridan River BN 230 | Real-time Data | Real-time Imagery |
Susitna River near Denali BN 687 | -- | Real-time Imagery |
Tanana River at Big Delta BN 524 | Real-time Data | -- |
Tanana River at Nenana BN 202 | Real-time Data | -- |
Tazlina River BN 573 | Real-time Data | Real-time Imagery |
Sounding cross section surveys at Alaska bridge crossings are available in a dynamic data release at: https://doi.org/10.5066/P9G663NX.
Below are data or web applications associated with this project.
Below are multimedia items associated with this project.
Salcha River debris near Salchaket
Scour under a bridge on the Kenai Peninsula in 2002.
Scour under a bridge on the Kenai Peninsula in 2002.
Salcha River bridge near Salchaket
Nenana River sonar top near Windy
Nenana River pier near Windy
Lowe River Flood outside of Valdez, Alaska
Lowe River Flood outside of Valdez, Alaska
Tanana River bridge at Nenana
Montana River sonar on a bridge
Sounding weight on the Copper River Delta, Alaska
Sounding weight on the Copper River Delta, Alaska
Sheridan River scour hole
Below are publications associated with this project.
Application of the multi-dimensional surface water modeling system at Bridge 339, Copper River Highway, Alaska
Geomorphology and river dynamics of the lower Copper River, Alaska
Hydraulic survey and scour assessment of Bridge 524, Tanana River at Big Delta, Alaska
Modeling surface-water flow and sediment mobility with the Multi-Dimensional Surface-Water Modeling System (MD_SWMS)
Calculation of scour depth at the Parks Highway Bridge on the Tanana River at Nenana, Alaska, using one- and two-dimensional hydraulic models
Development and Calibration of Two-Dimensional Hydrodynamic Model of the Tanana River near Tok, Alaska
Below are partners associated with this project.