The study is to investigate the effect of bed material characteristics (i. e. particle size and particle-size distribution) on local scour below a check dam. in which the particle size is expressed by the median particle diameter, d_(50)and particle-size distribution is shown by the geometric standard deviation of particle size, σ_g(=√d_(84)/d_(16)). The maximum equilibrium scour depth is reversely proportional to median particle diameter and geometric standard deviation of particle size. The dimensionless maximum equilibrium scour depth formula is developed by making use of theoretic reasoning, dimensional analysis and experimental data.