This document specifies the functional requirements of instrumentation for measuring the level of water surface (stage), primarily for the purpose of determining flow rates.

This document is supplemented by Annex A, which provides guidance on the types of automatic water level measurement devices currently available and the measurement uncertainty associated with them. The manually operated measuring devices are described in Annex B.

This document is applicable to both contact and non-contact methods of measurement. The non-contact methods are not in direct material contact with the water surface but measure the height of the water level with ultrasonic or electromagnetic waves.