TYBEE ISLAND, Ga. () — Beach erosion is always a concern on our Sea Islands, especially within the community of Tybee Island.

Oceanfront areas of the island are vulnerable to issues that a smaller beach would bring. The shorter the distance from the dunes to the water’s edge, the closer the ocean is to impacting property.

Property owners are concerned that erosion will compromise the dune line and threaten their beachfront homes and businesses.

A unique partnership between the City of Tybee, the US Army Corps of Engineers and area universities monitors the beach nourishment cycle. The six-to-eight-year cycle is a plan in place to monitor and maintain the beach’s structure.

The biggest step at the beginning of this cycle in 2019 was adding dunes to begin with. Before the extensive dune structure was added, routine king tide and high surf events would flood the street without a storm directly impacting the coast.

The dunes cushion the blow that the ocean brings to the beach. It allows property and city infrastructure to be protected from waves.

Since the last renourishment project, Tybee Island has lost 40% of its sand. Officials said that this is all going according to plan.

It was also mentioned that the current beach erosion might look different compared to years past because of the dunes changing the way sand moves along the beach.

The first beach renourishment project gets underway later this year, with areas along the Savannah River shipping channel getting more sand added to the dunes.

The plan is to renourish additional portions of the island between the end of hurricane season and the beginning of turtle nesting season.

Funding has been allocated, and the city is finalizing a schedule on the upcoming renourishment.