ABOUT
We're a third-generation agricultural water management company, specialized in large-scale, underground water management projects. We love the land and consider ourselves stewards of its improvement and preservation. We get the job done right the first time by combining our technical expertise with quality machinery and advanced technology. Our customers trust our proven record of experience and leadership, allowing them to focus on managing their farms, not managing their vendors.
We're a certified Technical Service Provider (TSP) in Drainage Water Management for the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).
We're a certified Technical Service Provider (TSP) in Drainage Water Management for the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).
HISTORY
Clark Farm Drainage began in 1979, when the late Bob Clark Sr. left his position as a District Conservationist for the Soil Conservation Service (SCS now NRCS) to start his own tile drainage business. After years overseeing the construction and installation of waterway and drainage tile soil conservation projects at the SCS, Bob Sr. decided to buy a Spiecher 6060 wheel machine, and Clark Farm Drainage was born in a two-car garage in the middle of Oak Park neighborhood in Richmond, IN.
As technology changed, so did the business. Initially, a wheel machine was used to install 1-2 ft. sticks of concrete tile in the trench. Lasers were used to guide the machine and paper and pencil were used to manually record elevation points in a field with a survey rod. As plastic corrugated tile became more readily available in the 1980's, we made the move from wheel machines to heavier and more powerful self-propelled tile plows. Today, instead of survey rods, we use RTK GPS technology to topologically map, evaluate and design drainage systems on computer software, and instead of lasers, our machines are guided by real-time triangulations between on-machine GPS sensors, a network of satellites and a GPS base station that we set-up in your field.
But more than technology has changed since 1979, our understanding of the land has changed too. Today we offer more services to help protect and preserve the environment than ever before. As a certified TSP for the NRCS, we can help you design and implement the most environmentally sustainable project, while utilizing the maximum amount of government incentives to lower your costs, and boost your profits. Visit conservation in our site menu to learn more about how we can help.
As technology changed, so did the business. Initially, a wheel machine was used to install 1-2 ft. sticks of concrete tile in the trench. Lasers were used to guide the machine and paper and pencil were used to manually record elevation points in a field with a survey rod. As plastic corrugated tile became more readily available in the 1980's, we made the move from wheel machines to heavier and more powerful self-propelled tile plows. Today, instead of survey rods, we use RTK GPS technology to topologically map, evaluate and design drainage systems on computer software, and instead of lasers, our machines are guided by real-time triangulations between on-machine GPS sensors, a network of satellites and a GPS base station that we set-up in your field.
But more than technology has changed since 1979, our understanding of the land has changed too. Today we offer more services to help protect and preserve the environment than ever before. As a certified TSP for the NRCS, we can help you design and implement the most environmentally sustainable project, while utilizing the maximum amount of government incentives to lower your costs, and boost your profits. Visit conservation in our site menu to learn more about how we can help.
TEAM
Bob Clark II - President
Bob served as a paratrooper in the US Military, earned a Bachelors degree in Engineering Technology, and worked at General Electric before returning to Indiana to run the family business. Since 1991 he's been the President of Clark Farm Drainage, Inc. and is responsible for our reputation of quality and customer service. He's a certified Technical Service Provider in Drainage Water Management to the NRCS, Past National President and Chairman of the Board for the Land Improvement Contractors of America, and former chair of the Water Table Management Committee. Currently, Bob serves on the Board of Directors for the Agricultural Drainage Management Coalition, the EPA's Ag Training Committee, on the Advisory Committee of Purdue University's Transforming Drainage research project, and on the Advisory Committee of Iowa State University's "Drainage Water Recycling Systems" research project. The LICA Contractor magazine named him 2016 Entrepreneur of the Year. Bob is a frequent contributor to Drainage Contractor and The LICA Contractor magazines on water quality, the drainage industry's role in conservation, research in agricultural water management, and the EPA's redefinition of WOTUS. Bob II oversees all company operations and manages customer relationships. He also leads and manages projects. |
Bob Clark III - Vice President
Bob III triple majored in Physics, Mathematics and Philosophy at Indiana University before earning his Master's from the top-ranked Kelley School of Business at IU. Bob worked as an Associate for PricewaterhouseCoopers and later as a Product Manager for a start-up, where he managed the development and launch of multiple products used by some of the world's leading businesses. After working to build a successful start-up, he returned to Indiana to help grow the company with his father. Bob III has served as a committee member of the Indiana Soil and Water Conservation Society, on the Board of Directors for Indiana LICA, is a certified Technical Service Provider in Drainage Water Management for the NRCS, and holds a professional certificate in Watershed Management from Purdue University. His work on grade control systems has been presented at the 10th International Drainage Symposium at the University of Minnesota and published in the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers. He has contributed articles to Drainage Contractor and The LICA Contractor magazines on the topics of machine grade control systems, hiring, team building, and business process design. Bob III focuses on strategy, operations and new business. He also leads and manages projects. |
Ryan Jackson - Operations Mgr
Ryan studied Construction Engineering at Purdue University and has over 15 years of experience across the excavation, earthwork and tiling industries. His experience includes working on and leading agricultural, storm water, sewer, septic, demolition, excavation, earthwork, and site work projects. Ryan spent his last 7 years, prior to joining Clark Farm Drainage, at Beck's Superior Hybrids, America's largest family-owned seed company. At Beck's Ryan built and managed the in-house ag water management and land improvement program. Combining his technical knowledge with a hands-on ability to lead projects, Ryan helped Beck's reduce risk and improve profitability by surveying, designing, supervising and installing the company's pattern tile drainage, sub-surface irrigation and surface drainage systems. His experience there included cleaning, moving and reconstructing open ditches, cutting surface drains, building grassy waterways and two-stage ditches, and working together with research staff to track and evaluate the performance of the company's subsurface drainage and irrigation systems. Ryan facilitates end-to-end operations, planning, training and equipment maintenance. He also leads and manages projects. |
Tom Williams - COO, Clark Excavation & Utility
Tom possesses over 20 years of leadership experience across the excavation and construction industries. Holding a Bachelor's in Business Mgmt with a minor in Economics from Southern Illinois University, Tom started his career in residential construction. He founded The Prairie Companies, a successful design-build land development and building company. As Tom delivered land development projects he identified a need for better alignment between developers, conservation districts and gov't agencies in order to creatively implement environmental BMPs. In 2004 he founded Siltpros, which soon became a leader in the environmental industry. He has presented at numerous forum, educating engineers, consultants, contractors, and EPA staff. He is two-time featured contractor by Erosion Control Magazine. His experience in development and construction led him into the excavation and utility industry, where he has spent the past 8 years coordinating, leading and managing excavation and utility projects from initiation to completion. Tom oversees company operations, new business development, strategy, project management and customer relationships. |
Brad Kovar - Project Manager & Water Mgmt Planner
With a B.S. from the University of North Dakota and over 7 years of experience in tile drainage and water management---with 4 years previous as a drainage engineer and foreman for a drainage business based out of Minnesota---Brad brings additional experience and training to strengthen our team. Brad coordinates project activities between sales and operations, and works as a tile drainage, conservation and water mgmt. planner. |
Stephen Edwards - Survey & Service Manager
Stephen Edwards has over 9 years of experience at Clark Farm Drainage, inc. Starting as a tile stringer, Stephen quickly learned the skills of the trade, earned a Class A CDL, and moved up the ranks to Foreman. In 2016, he took advantage of an opportunity to serve the local community on the New Castle Fire Department. Working for CFD on his scheduled days off from the Fire Department, Stephen manages field surveying, tile repairs, and service activities for the team. |
TECHNOLOGY AND CAPABILITIES
We use the best equipment on the planet to ensure that your water management system is designed and installed to deliver optimal efficiency and return on investment. Improper system design and inconsistent grade control during installation can each significantly reduce the effectiveness of a system, decrease its longevity and increase the total cost per acre drained. Combining proven technical expertise with the world's leading specialized equipment, ensures that your system will deliver the maximum return on investment for years to come.
Here's a look at some of the equipment we use.
Inter-Drain 2050 GP self-propelled plow
- 75,000 lbs. and 540 hp with 121,000 lbs. of draw-bar
- Small and large diameter flexible pipe installations
- Numerous envelope/back fill configurations to engineer's specifications
- Power fed for small diameter ag pipe to ensure minimum deflection and maximum sub-surface load strength
- RTK-GPS auto graded
- 68,000 lbs. and 422 hp with 81,400 lbs. of draw-bar
- Small and large diameter flexible pipe installations
- Numerous envelope/back fill configurations to engineer's specifications
- Power fed for small diameter ag pipe to ensure minimum deflection and maximum sub-surface load strength
- RTK-GPS auto graded
- Trench depths up to 12 ft. and pipe diameters up to 24 in.
- Small and large diameter flexible installations
- Small and large diameter stick installations
- Numerous envelope/back fill configurations to engineer's specifications
- RTK-GPS auto- or laser graded
- Trench through soft bedrock or soil with different cutter configurations
- Numerous back fill configurations to engineer's specifications
- Laser graded or constant depth
- Minimal disturbance plowed installation of small diameter, flexible piping and cables
- In-field Trimble RTK GPS base stations, in-machine Trimble TMX and 750 guidance systems, rover-mounted Trimble RTK GPS mapping system, and Trimble design office software
- Varying sizes and types
VENDORS
We're proud of our work and proud of the people we work with to get the job done. Our vendors support us with some of the best products and services available. We couldn't deliver such a high quality service, at such a competitive price, if it wasn't for their excellent products and support.
- Fratco / ADS / Prinsco
- Agri Drain
- Northland Trenching (Inter-Drain)
- Schlatter's Inc. (Trimble)
