MONITOR STAGE - The Stage at which initial action must be taken by concerned interests (livestock warning, removal of equipment from lowest overflow areas, or simply general surveillance of the situation).  This level may produce overbank flows sufficient to cause minor flooding of low-lying lands and local roads.

FLOOD STAGE - The Stage at which overbank flows are of sufficient magnitude to cause considerable inundation of land and roads and/or threat of significant hazard to life and property.
 

MONITOR STAGE - The Stage at which patrol of flood control project levees by the responsible levee maintaining agency becomes mandatory, or the Stage at which flow occurs into bypass areas from project overflow weirs.

PROJECT FLOOD STAGE - The Stage at which the flow in a flood control project is at maximum design capacity (U.S. Corps of Engineers "Project Flood Plane").

DANGER STAGE - The Stage at which the flow in a flood control project is greater than maximum design capacity and where there is extreme danger with threat of significant hazard to life and property in the event of levee failure.  This is generally 1 foot above project flood stage.