Brule River S. Shore Grade Project
Donation protected
UPDATE!
For continuing updates on this project as it moves forward, check out this link on the Brule River Sportsman's Club website -
http://bruleriversportsmensclub.com/south-shore-railroad-grade-update/
UPDATE!! Brule River Rat decals are no longer available on the Gofundme page, now only available from sponsoring fly shops! Get out and support these local fly shops, support the Brule Project...and get your decal! See the "UPDATES" section for participating shops.
The Brule River Rats Stewardship Council is looking to raise $13,000 by May 15th to help fund this construction project. The BRRSC is a citizen group in the midwest region composed of fisherman, boaters and anyone who loves the Brule River. We are raising funds directly for the Brule River Sportsman's Club, a long-standing non-profit organization supporting the Brule River. More info can be found on our Facebook page.
https://www.facebook.com/Bruleriverrats/
Check out the Brule River Sportsman's Club website here -> http://bruleriversportsmensclub.com/
Thanks for checking us out!
We have a unique opportunity to remove a very long standing direct threat to the Brule River. We need to raise a combined total of $130,000 to be able to completely remove the culvert and near forty-foot-high abandoned railroad grade that crosses Nebagamon Creek, the Brule River’s largest tributary. The money raised here will go directly to help fund construction on this project.
The problem – In 1934, the Duluth South Shore and Atlantic Railroad abandoned its rail line extending from Marengo Junction to Superior. The bridge spanning the Brule at Winneboujou was removed (located at the foot of Station rapids) but the concrete culvert and grade fill over Nebagamon Creek was left in place. That structure held up fairly-well for the next forty of so years but has since began to fail and erode into Nebagamon Creek.

A few years ago, the Department of Natural Resources was made aware of the growing problem by a Nebagamon Creek land owner. Most of the time since then was spent trying to investigate who owned the grade at the creek. A water regulatory permit to remove the grade needs an official landowner to proceed. That hurdle was solved recently, and the Department began the process of scoping out the cost and acquiring the funds needed to both remove the culvert/grade and stabilize the site once the material is removed. The severe position that requires a solution right away is that the concrete wing-walls on the downstream end of the culvert have collapsed into the stream and are impounding Nebagamon Creek. The wing walls are the part of the culvert that hold the grade from eroding into the stream and with their failure have indeed caused the grade to begin eroding.

The biggest threat beyond the grades material being washed into the stream is that if the failing culvert were plugged with debris it would block Nebagamon Creek to a point where the grade washes away and would send this great volume of water down Nebagamon Creek directly into the Brule River. This large flood would wash away many thousands of cubic yards of sand as it washed away the sand laden banks of Nebagamon Creek and its valley walls. This is the upstream side.

Dumping this much sand into the Brule would create the formation of a huge ‘sand slug’. This slug of sand would move slowly down the Brule sequentially covering and destroying trout habitat as it went. Aquatic insect populations would plummet. Details and photos can be found on Brule River Sportsmen’s Club website.
http://bruleriversportsmensclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/SouthshoreGrade.pdf
When this happens the Brule’s resident and lake run fishery would be severely depressed for many decades.
The good news is that together we can remove this threat, but we need your help!
Thus far, the DNR has set aside about $45,000 from its trout stamp account and are presently applying for a Fish and Wildlife Service grant for about $38,000. But that only gets us part way to the $130,000 goal. Quite a few local sport clubs (including BRSC) have donated funds to this effort, but we have yet to reach the goal.
We are looking to raise $13k to help offset the costs of this construction project. We have raised $9633 (after Gofundme fees) via the Gofundme campaign, with the balance of the funds coming from offline donations, TU donations, events and forthcoming sticker sales at fly shops. Funds will be transferred by check from the Brule River Rats (c/o Matt Kwitek - BRRSC Gofundme page principal) to the Brule River Sportsman's Club once funds are released from Gofundme.
We are offering a Brule River Rats River Steward sticker to any donation over $10. UPDATE! Stickers are now only available at your local fly shop, check the update for participating shops!
Check out our list of premiums below, both current and sold out.
Thanks for supporting!!!
BRR Sticker

SOLD OUT!!! Rutabaga Paddlesports is offering a donation match to the next person to donate $500. Get to it!
Check out Rutabaga, an amazing paddlesports shop in Madison WI
http://www.rutabaga.com/
SOLD OUT Tyler Hackett of Wandering Blue Lines is offering 10 11x15 signed and number commemorative prints, celebrating the Brule River and this project. This a very cool project, can't wait to see the finished product. Take a look at his work at ->
https://www.wanderingbluelines.com/
SOLD OUT Choose any one StonehousePhoto 11x14 Canvas print from this page-> http://stonehousephoto.zenfolio.com/bigrock Big Rock Migration photos
SOLD OUT!! Original steelhead sketch by MN artist Jake Keeler, to be done at the Great Waters Fly Fishing Expo March 16-18. Looking forward to see what he does!
https://www.facebook.com/JakeKeelerArt/
SOLD OUT!! 1 full day guided fly or light tackle fishing on Lake Superior's Chequamegon bay with Captain Luke Kavajecz....Valid 2018 Season.

SOLD OUT 2 canvas prints by Duluth area guide and artist,Tim Pearson.
"Electric Steel" 11x14

SOLD OUT "Black Water Steelhead" 16x20

SOLD OUT!! Set of 6 Musky flies from an Anonymous, but well known Madison fly tier. 8" using 6/0 Aphrex hooks.

SOLD OUT!! SIMMS Freestone wading pants, sz SMALL, used once. Donated by Hunter Dorn - Wisconsin FlyFishing Company

SOLD OUT!! Limited edition BRULE hat (SOLD OUT) and shirts, donated by Tom Anderson-Brown


SOLD OUT!! Set of 3 Custom tied balsa bass poppers by Jason Martina, 2 sets available
SOLD OUT!! 350 grain Commando Head (for a 7 weight switch), a 40 pound pink lazar line , a 168 grain Commando Tip, a Medium intruder sweatshirt and an OPST logo tumbler

SOLD OUT!! Guided trip offer with retired guide Damian Wilmot

Marty Kwitek woodcut print - SOLD OUT

Simms G3 Waders - SOLD OUT

SOLD OUT Large Wisco Outfitters T-shirt

SOLD OUT Costa hat

For continuing updates on this project as it moves forward, check out this link on the Brule River Sportsman's Club website -
http://bruleriversportsmensclub.com/south-shore-railroad-grade-update/
UPDATE!! Brule River Rat decals are no longer available on the Gofundme page, now only available from sponsoring fly shops! Get out and support these local fly shops, support the Brule Project...and get your decal! See the "UPDATES" section for participating shops.
The Brule River Rats Stewardship Council is looking to raise $13,000 by May 15th to help fund this construction project. The BRRSC is a citizen group in the midwest region composed of fisherman, boaters and anyone who loves the Brule River. We are raising funds directly for the Brule River Sportsman's Club, a long-standing non-profit organization supporting the Brule River. More info can be found on our Facebook page.
https://www.facebook.com/Bruleriverrats/
Check out the Brule River Sportsman's Club website here -> http://bruleriversportsmensclub.com/
Thanks for checking us out!
We have a unique opportunity to remove a very long standing direct threat to the Brule River. We need to raise a combined total of $130,000 to be able to completely remove the culvert and near forty-foot-high abandoned railroad grade that crosses Nebagamon Creek, the Brule River’s largest tributary. The money raised here will go directly to help fund construction on this project.
The problem – In 1934, the Duluth South Shore and Atlantic Railroad abandoned its rail line extending from Marengo Junction to Superior. The bridge spanning the Brule at Winneboujou was removed (located at the foot of Station rapids) but the concrete culvert and grade fill over Nebagamon Creek was left in place. That structure held up fairly-well for the next forty of so years but has since began to fail and erode into Nebagamon Creek.
A few years ago, the Department of Natural Resources was made aware of the growing problem by a Nebagamon Creek land owner. Most of the time since then was spent trying to investigate who owned the grade at the creek. A water regulatory permit to remove the grade needs an official landowner to proceed. That hurdle was solved recently, and the Department began the process of scoping out the cost and acquiring the funds needed to both remove the culvert/grade and stabilize the site once the material is removed. The severe position that requires a solution right away is that the concrete wing-walls on the downstream end of the culvert have collapsed into the stream and are impounding Nebagamon Creek. The wing walls are the part of the culvert that hold the grade from eroding into the stream and with their failure have indeed caused the grade to begin eroding.
The biggest threat beyond the grades material being washed into the stream is that if the failing culvert were plugged with debris it would block Nebagamon Creek to a point where the grade washes away and would send this great volume of water down Nebagamon Creek directly into the Brule River. This large flood would wash away many thousands of cubic yards of sand as it washed away the sand laden banks of Nebagamon Creek and its valley walls. This is the upstream side.
Dumping this much sand into the Brule would create the formation of a huge ‘sand slug’. This slug of sand would move slowly down the Brule sequentially covering and destroying trout habitat as it went. Aquatic insect populations would plummet. Details and photos can be found on Brule River Sportsmen’s Club website.
http://bruleriversportsmensclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/SouthshoreGrade.pdf
When this happens the Brule’s resident and lake run fishery would be severely depressed for many decades.
The good news is that together we can remove this threat, but we need your help!
Thus far, the DNR has set aside about $45,000 from its trout stamp account and are presently applying for a Fish and Wildlife Service grant for about $38,000. But that only gets us part way to the $130,000 goal. Quite a few local sport clubs (including BRSC) have donated funds to this effort, but we have yet to reach the goal.
We are looking to raise $13k to help offset the costs of this construction project. We have raised $9633 (after Gofundme fees) via the Gofundme campaign, with the balance of the funds coming from offline donations, TU donations, events and forthcoming sticker sales at fly shops. Funds will be transferred by check from the Brule River Rats (c/o Matt Kwitek - BRRSC Gofundme page principal) to the Brule River Sportsman's Club once funds are released from Gofundme.
We are offering a Brule River Rats River Steward sticker to any donation over $10. UPDATE! Stickers are now only available at your local fly shop, check the update for participating shops!
Check out our list of premiums below, both current and sold out.
Thanks for supporting!!!
BRR Sticker
SOLD OUT!!! Rutabaga Paddlesports is offering a donation match to the next person to donate $500. Get to it!
Check out Rutabaga, an amazing paddlesports shop in Madison WI
http://www.rutabaga.com/
SOLD OUT Tyler Hackett of Wandering Blue Lines is offering 10 11x15 signed and number commemorative prints, celebrating the Brule River and this project. This a very cool project, can't wait to see the finished product. Take a look at his work at ->
https://www.wanderingbluelines.com/
SOLD OUT Choose any one StonehousePhoto 11x14 Canvas print from this page-> http://stonehousephoto.zenfolio.com/bigrock Big Rock Migration photos
SOLD OUT!! Original steelhead sketch by MN artist Jake Keeler, to be done at the Great Waters Fly Fishing Expo March 16-18. Looking forward to see what he does!
https://www.facebook.com/JakeKeelerArt/
SOLD OUT!! 1 full day guided fly or light tackle fishing on Lake Superior's Chequamegon bay with Captain Luke Kavajecz....Valid 2018 Season.
SOLD OUT 2 canvas prints by Duluth area guide and artist,Tim Pearson.
"Electric Steel" 11x14
SOLD OUT "Black Water Steelhead" 16x20
SOLD OUT!! Set of 6 Musky flies from an Anonymous, but well known Madison fly tier. 8" using 6/0 Aphrex hooks.
SOLD OUT!! SIMMS Freestone wading pants, sz SMALL, used once. Donated by Hunter Dorn - Wisconsin FlyFishing Company
SOLD OUT!! Limited edition BRULE hat (SOLD OUT) and shirts, donated by Tom Anderson-Brown
SOLD OUT!! Set of 3 Custom tied balsa bass poppers by Jason Martina, 2 sets available
SOLD OUT!! 350 grain Commando Head (for a 7 weight switch), a 40 pound pink lazar line , a 168 grain Commando Tip, a Medium intruder sweatshirt and an OPST logo tumblerSOLD OUT!! Guided trip offer with retired guide Damian Wilmot
Marty Kwitek woodcut print - SOLD OUT
Simms G3 Waders - SOLD OUT
SOLD OUT Large Wisco Outfitters T-shirt
SOLD OUT Costa hat
Organizer and beneficiary
Brule River Rats Stewardship Council
Organizer
Brule, WI
Jeffrey Stollenwerk
Beneficiary