Glossary
Stage
Stage is the height of the water surface at a point—usually reported as feet above a stated vertical datum. It is the quantity behind “lake level” charts; also called gage height on USGS and USACE documents.
Published May 16, 2026 · Editorial standards
Why it matters
“The lake is at 652 feet” is incomplete without 652 feet above what. Stage always carries an implied or printed datum. That is why Lake Insights shows vertical datum and elevation reference beside level charts.
Stage is not discharge
Stage can hold steady while cubic feet per second through the dam changes. For tailrace current, pair stage with discharge or release notes when available.
On real lakes
Related lake intelligence
Great Sacandaga Lake
/lakes/sacandaga
Open Great Sacandaga Lake for live stage, active data sources, and the vertical reference beside each reading. Published levels use NGVD29 relative to MSL unless the lake page notes otherwise.
Related lake intelligence
Delavan Lake
/lakes/delavan
Open Delavan Lake for live stage, active data sources, and the vertical reference beside each reading.
Related lake intelligence
Cherokee Lake
/lakes/cherokee
Open Cherokee Lake for live stage, active data sources, and the vertical reference beside each reading. Published levels use MSL unless the lake page notes otherwise.
- Is stage the same as depth?
No. Stage is surface elevation relative to a datum. Depth is vertical distance to the bottom at a location—different measurement.
Related terms: Gauge · Datum · Full pool · Pool guide · Streamgage
Reference information only. See data sources, editorial standards, or suggest a correction.