1. How to build an A Frame
to measure contours
Pictures courtesy of the Permaculture Design Course 2012

2. Take two
large
poles

3. Mark the sticks
about half way
down.

4. Attach the tops
together. We used
nails, but you could
also tie them
tightly.

5. Make sure ends stay even

6. Attach the 3rd stick---we used our
free Spenard Builders’ yardstick.

7. Attach string from the top

8. Tie a big
rock to the
bottom of
the string so
it hangs
below the
cross piece,
but doesn’t
hit the
ground.
You can barely see the rock!

9. Look for level
ground.
Mark each foot
very carefully with
small sticks.
Draw a mark
where the string
crosses the
crossbar.

10. Then turn the A Frame around
and place each foot in the other
foot’s place. Mark the spot again.

11. Rarely do the two marks match.
Find the mid-point of the two marks.
Make a large mark there.
THAT is your LEVEL MARK

12. Now you can move across the
landscape moving the A-Frame corner
to corner.
That is: one foot stays in its place
while the other is rotated out to where
you believe level ground is.
When the rock stops moving, the string
should be at the Level Mark IF the land
is level.
If not, move that foot over a bit!

13. If you want the water to move ever
so slowly down slope, you can
give it a 1% - 2% slope.
Who’s math smart???
How many quarter inches would that be on the yard stick?

14. As the line meets the Level Mark,
put a stick in the place where the
foot of the A-Frame was.
When you finish, you will have
your contour measured.
Advantages: you can do it alone.
Disadvantages: it takes a long time to
wait for the rock to balance.