GALVESTON, Texas -- Local 2 Investigates is looking into claims the state is leaving parts of Galveston Island more vulnerable to hurricane damage. That's because a system that helped protect against storm surge during Hurricane Ike has been removed, and the state's replacement is literally falling apart.

"Anytime you hear about a storm in the gulf, your stomach starts to churn along with the waves out there," said Ron Benotti, a homeowner on Galveston's West End.

Benotti is used to worrying about hurricanes. He's owned his beach front condo for 20 years. But this hurricane season, Benotti and the other 134 owners at Seascape condos are missing something and it's causing a new concern.

"It really did work," Benotti said. "It's a shame they took it out."

It is what's called a "sand sock." It's basically what it sounds like -- a huge sock full of sand that sat between the beach front and the condo complex. It's designed to help protect against storm surge and beach erosion.

Galveston's seawall ends right before the island's West End. Back in 2000, the state's General Land Office put a sand sock in front of Seascape and eight other west end neighborhoods.

Condo owners at Seascape helped pay for the protection.

"We invested in that sock," said Bill Etheredge, property manager for Seascape. "We had matching funds in excess of $100,000."

When Hurricane Ike slammed Galveston, owners at Seascape had severe damage. The damage was estimated at more than $10 million. But Etheredge credits the sand sock with saving the complex's foundation and other buildings from being eaten away by storm surge.

"Our sand socks were totally viable," Etheredge said. "They were still intact. They did not blow up. They were not torn. They were not damaged in any way."

However, by January 2009, the sand sock was gone and so were the almost all the ones placed along West End neighborhoods. They were cut apart and taken out by the state.

"There's no reason for that," Etheredge said. "We should have our sand sock in place."

"Does it make any sense to you?" Benotti asked. "It's totally irrational to us."

The Texas General Land Office says it had no choice. Spokesman Jim Suydam says because not all sand socks fared as well as the one at Seascape, the gaps left behind would have funneled floodwaters primarily into certain areas. That forced the removal of all sand socks, Suydam said.

The problem now -- the clay dunes built to replace the sand socks are literally falling apart.

"Without any major storms, just some high tides, and one storm that hit 200 miles away, the clay dune they gave us has totally failed," Etheredge said.

Waves have cut most of the clay dunes in half. One section is completely washed away. Owners from Seascape and other neighborhoods on the island's West End say it's left them with little protection.

"Basically, through the hurricane season of 2010, we're on our own," Etheredge said.

Suydam told Local 2 Investigates that the clay dunes were just an emergency fix and there's no requirement for the state to offer the protection. It's just part of the hazards of having beach front property.

The good news -- a $42-million state beach re-nourishment project is planned along the West End from the end of the seawall to 13-mile road. The bad news -- construction won't begin until at least September. The general land office says it could not begin construction any sooner because of turtle nesting season on the beach.

Residents say it's giving them a new reason to pray another storm stays away.

"Without any protection, it's going to be at least as bad (as Ike)," Benotti said. "It could be far worse."