The wire weight gauge is one of several types of river gauges used by the National Weather Service (NWS) to measure river stage. The Type A wire weight gauge used by the NWS (pictured) consists of a drum wound with a single layer of stainless steel cable, a heavy brass weight attached to the cable's end, a raduated disk, and a veeder counter mounted in a lockable cast metal box. One revolution of the cable drum equals one foot of cable in length. The drum's disk is graduated in tenths and hundredths of a foot and is connected to the veeder counter which advances by one with each full revolution of the drum. The cable is made of 0.045 inch diameter stainless steel wire, geometrically wound, and is guided to smoothly fill the drum by means of a threaded sheave. The wire weights reel assembly is equipped with a ratchet used to lock the drum and cable in any position by means of a pawl.