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Rising coastal flood risk and recent disasters are driving interest in the construction of gated storm surge barriers worldwide, with current studies recommending barriers for at least 11 estuaries in the United States alone. Surge barriers partially block estuary‐ocean exchange with infrastructure across an estuary or its inlet and include gated areas that are closed only during flood events. They can alter the stratification and salt intrusion, change sedimentary systems, and curtail animal migration and ecosystem connectivity, with impacts growing larger with increasing gate closures. Existing barriers are being used with increasing frequency due to sea level rise. New barrier proposals typically come with maximum closure frequency recommendations, yet the future adherence to them is uncertain. Given that the broader environmental effects and coupled‐human dynamics of surge barriers are not well‐understood, we present an interdisciplinary research agenda for this increasingly prevalent modification to our coastal zone. Key Points: Gated storm surge barriers represent a fundamental change to our coastlines and potentially to ocean‐estuary exchangesThey are increasingly being built for coastal protection and closure frequency of existing barriers is increasing with sea level riseFunding of interdisciplinary basic and applied science research is critical to inform billion‐dollar decisions on coastal engineering [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]