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FORT MACON, N.C. – Hurricane season is under way, and a big concern for many on the coast is beach erosion from a big storm.

Every year, Carteret County partners with the Morehead City-based company Geodynamics to do a study of the coastline to figure out how much sand is there. That way, they can tell how much is lost after a big storm hits.

Geologists will be walking from the top of dunes into the water with sophisticated GPS devices to make their measurements. The surveyors' equipment tracks their elevation, giving them real-time information as they walk from the dunes into the ocean.

Usually on surveys, a boat outfitted with the same GPS technology would meet them in the water so they could track data further into the ocean. However, Tuesday conditions were too windy.

A GPS-equipped ATV drives parallel to the beach collecting data as well. This way, surveyors can get a good cross section of the beach to map the coastline.

Carteret Shore Protection Manager Greg Rudolph says the company will do another survey after a big storm, letting them know how much erosion occurred and where the sand ended up. The study also helps the county plan beach nourishment projects.

"We have certain nourishment thresholds, so once the beach loses a certain volume of sand, we better start thinking about planning and permitting for our next nourishment project," Rudolph said.

The surveys cost about $100,000 a year.

Carteret County is the only place in North Carolina that does these surveys.