How to Measure a Beach Slope Angle
- 1). Stand at the top of the beach and face the sea. Clearly mark this position. This is the start point. Place another surveying pole at the seaward edge of the beach where the survey transect finishes. This is the end point. The start and end points should form a line running at 90 degrees to the edge of the water.
- 2). Stand at the top of the beach with a surveying pole held vertically in front of you. Have an assistant walk toward the finish point until she encounters a change, or break, in the slope of the beach. Have her hold a survey pole vertically at this point. Call this "Point 1."
- 3). Use a clinometer to measure the angle from the angle between an agreed height on your pole and the identical height on the assistant's pole. Record this as "Angle 1." Measure the distance along the ground from the start point to Point 1. Record this value as "Length 1."
- 4). Take the assistant's position and pole, and send the assistant further down the beach until the next break in slope is found. Have her hold a survey pole at the break point --- Point 2 --- and again use a clinometer to establish the angle of slope between the two poles. Record the angle as "Angle 2." Measure the distance between the two poles, and record the distance as "Length 2."
- 5). Repeat the previous step until the transect end point is reached and the entire beach is broken into sections with known angles and distances.
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