A group of research students construct model oyster shell reefs during the U.S. Coastal Research Program’s Sediment Transport Collaborative Laboratory Experiment, or SEDCOLAB, hosted by the U.S. Engineer Research and Development Center’s Coastal and Hydraulics Laboratory in Vicksburg, Miss., June 6, 2025. Using the laboratory’s large-scale sediment transport facility, the research team examined how oyster shell reefs impact sediment transport and beach changes by testing how these reefs perform under different tidal and wave conditions. The data will help create models to design reefs that maximize protection for coastal areas. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers photo by Jared Eastman)