桩 - a measure word?

[Scoobyqueen]

I am wondering if the above is a measure word. It seems to occur as such in a text I am reading. However, the dictionary does not point in that direction and equally looking through the list of measure words, it does not occur either.

[roddy]

The ABC has it as a measure word for items or matters. The 规范 says it is 相当于‘件’

[Scoobyqueen]

Cheers. The list I was consulting was one provided by Wikipedia and it appeared not to occur there.

[jade-]

It can be used as a measure word, for example: 这桩事 - this matter, this whole thing

[monto]

With the meaning almost exactly the same, 桩 sounds more serious or bigger than 件 as measure words.

We can say "一件小事儿"，but never "一桩小事儿"，the latter sounds self-contradictory.