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A gage height at which a water course overtops its banks and begins to cause damage to any portion of the defined reach. Flood stage is usually higher than or equal to bank full stage.
In a leveed stream …
The project flood stage is the stage at which the flow in a flood control project is at maximum design capacity (U.S. Corps of Engineers “Project Flood Plane”). At this level there is a minimum freeboard of 3 feet to the top of levees.
In a non-leveed stream …
The flood stage is 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.
Source: DWR River Stage Definitions