A tall, rigid or telescoping pole marked with clear, high-contrast graduations. A surveyor holds it perfectly vertical over a point while another reads the markings through a leveling instrument. The reading provides the vertical distance from the instrument's line of sight to the ground point.
Heard on the job
Keep the level staff plumb, you're leaning way too far forward for a good reading.
Also heard as
- levelling staff
- level rod
- stadia rod
Do not mix it up with
- Stadia hair: The level staff is the physical pole, while stadia hairs are the lines in the instrument's reticle used to read it.
Related terms
Dumpy level
A robust optical leveling instrument featuring a telescope rigidly fixed to its horizontal rotating base.
Backsight
A reading taken on a point of known coordinates or elevation to establish a reference direction.
Foresight
An instrument reading taken toward a new, unmeasured point to determine its elevation or position.