When storms batter islands, taxpayers pay

Leanne Welch, the county's environmental program supervisor for shore protection, calls it a "constant battle against Mother Nature to keep sand on the beaches."

But she sees little choice. With huge private mansions lining much of the Florida coast, she says, what could be done to reverse the trend?

"Some of the homes on the ocean are $100 million. We just can't afford to buy every home," Welch said.

Tybee Island, 12 miles east of Savannah, hasn't had a direct hit from a major hurricane in more than a century. It's largely a middle-class beach destination, affectionately nicknamed the "Truck Stop By the Sea," though retiring baby boomers and real-estate investors have given its population of 3,400 an upper-crust makeover in the last decade.

Towering homes on stilts near the beach list for $3 million and one-bed, one-bath condos go for nearly $700,000. Actress Sandra Bullock and rocker John Mellencamp own homes here.

Since 1975, Tybee Island has relied on federal money to renourish its beach every seven years. The last time that happened was 2000, and residents say a new round is long overdue.

"There used to be beach here 24 hours a day, and now water comes over the seawall twice a day," said Buelvas, 68, who retired with her husband to their 3,000-square foot beach home in 2000. "I'd say it's desperate at this point."

Next month, officials will begin pumping about 120,000 dump-truck loads of fresh sand on Tybee Island's beach, with taxpayers footing the $10 million bill. Tybee Mayor Jason Buelterman had to fight for the $6.3 million federal share of the project.

Buelterman got Congress to approve the money after an Army Corps of Engineers study showed much of Tybee Island's erosion could be blamed on the federal government. The study found sand that normally would drift from South Carolina to replenish the island's north beach is sinking into the Savannah River, dredged by the Corps to allow the passage of large cargo ships, a method employed at numerous other U.S. ports, including Mobile Bay by Dauphin Island.

Buelvas lives along the most damaged stretch of Tybee Island, about a 10th of a mile, where the beach vanishes at high tide. Despite the risk, she says she wouldn't live anywhere else.

"People who live in San Francisco take a chance on being done in by earthquakes. Midwesterners take a chance with tornadoes," she said. "Is there anywhere in this country that's risk-free?"

More from msnbc.com RedTape: DirecTV thrives on ‘deception,’ lawsuit says Doctor's mission to save Ethiopian kids' hearts Bad Santa: Gifts that say you’re old, fat or hairy  What hit Italian prime minister? Take our weekly quiz Send your holiday pictures to troops Send us your memories and images of the past decade

MORE FROM WEATHER

Weather Section Front

East Coast digs out from big storm   Subfreezing weather batters Europe, causing deaths ‘Super Saturday’ snowed out on East Coast Winter storm disrupts East Coast games The lowdown on winter solstice   Watch 3-day national forecast   Snow complicates holiday travel in U.K. East Africa drought leaves millions in need Weather Section Front   Add Weather headlines to your news reader: