Retention / Detention is a sculptural and biological intervention, using principles of bioremediation to tell the story of water and humanities imbalance with nature.
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Retention / Detention is a multidisciplinary art and science project that explores the environmental impact of retention and detention ponds, using principles of bio-remediation to address the imbalance between human development and natural ecosystems. Focusing on the Cape Fear River and surrounding community of Wilmington, NC, the project highlights the ecological consequences of overdevelopment, including the contamination of water sources by PFAS chemicals and the destruction of local pine forests. Through collaboration between artists, scientists, and the community, the project engages with local aquatic ecosystems and aims to raise awareness about water quality and its connection to human activities.
The first phase of the project, initiated in 2022, involved creating a permanent installation at the Cameron Art Museum, which features a man-made island designed to filter pond water using native plants. This bio/eco-art intervention reduces excess nutrients and microplastics in the water, thereby improving the pond’s health and preventing harmful algal blooms. The second phase, completed in 2024, introduced a dynamic solar powered light system, which visually represents the health of the pond based on real-time water quality data. The system employs a color-coded light display to communicate changes in temperature, pH, oxygen levels, and salinity, making the invisible data visible to the public.
Looking ahead, Phase 3 will expand the project by developing a modular water quality sensor system, which can be adapted for various aquatic environments, from ponds to marine ecosystems. This phase will involve collaborations across multiple academic disciplines, including digital arts, marine science, and environmental studies. The project aims to foster environmental literacy and action through hands-on learning, community engagement, and the creation of sustainable technologies. Through interdisciplinary collaboration and public outreach, Retention / Detention seeks to cultivate a deeper understanding of the relationship between human activities and environmental health, while encouraging proactive solutions to the challenges posed by over development and ecosystem degradation.
Retention / Detention is a sculptural and biological intervention that uses principles of bio-remediation to tell the story of water and humanity’s imbalance with nature. This project explores collaboration across the arts and sciences while also providing an opportunity for community education and dialogue.
The Cape Fear River and the greater Wilmington, NC region’s groundwater have been contaminated by PFAS (forever chemicals) from the nearby Chemours plant (1). Additionally, the area has seen a massive development boom over the past decade, leading to the clear-cutting of longleaf pine forests for high-density housing projects. Since Wilmington is only 15 feet above sea level and prone to hurricanes due to its location along the Atlantic coast, new developments often involve digging to elevate structures. To offset this, developers typically create retention or detention ponds to protect against flooding. Unfortunately, most of these ponds become toxic environments, filled with chemical, agricultural, and residential runoff.
Retention / Detention seeks to highlight these destructive practices through an innovative form of bio/eco art-based storytelling. Retention and detention ponds are not unique to the Cape Fear region. They are used across the country as short-sighted solutions to overdevelopment in low-lying areas. Too often, these ponds languish as barren spaces with no aeration or native plantings. Algae are the “canaries in the coal mine” when an aquatic ecosystem is out of balance. They are often a part of why low-oxygen environments occur but not the cause, yet they are too often demonized as the sole cause of illness in pets or children who swim or fish in these waters, rather than acknowledging our own role in causing their growth cycles to shift out of balance.
Phase 1 of the project began as part of the Algae Society’s “Confluence” show in the spring of 2022 and was created by the Coaction Lab, led by Gene A. Felice II, Professor of Studio/Digital Art, as a permanent installation at the Cameron Art Museum. Initial water analysis and microscopy of the pond were conducted in collaboration with Dr. Catherina Alves de Souza and the Algal Resources Collection at UNCW. Special thanks are given to Hayden Tuttle, a Digital Art/Computer Science undergraduate at UNCW, who was crucial in developing the code and electronics for the water quality sensor lighting system and continues to contribute as an alumnus of UNCW and data engineer for New Hanover County.
The retention pond on the property of the Cameron Art Museum in Wilmington enables direct collaboration with a local aquatic ecosystem that has been out of balance, suffering from algal blooms and low-oxygen events due to overdevelopment and human-generated runoff. Retention / Detention is a man-made island based on the well-documented “Biohaven” system (2). This system provides reciprocal benefits by reducing microplastics and excess nutrients in the pond while promoting the growth of native species through bioremediation (3). In the spring of 2022, an array of native water plants was planted on the island. These plants filter the water by absorbing excess nitrogen and phosphates through their submerged roots and collecting microplastics via the sticky biofilm that forms on the surface of the island (2). By reducing nutrient levels, these plants help prevent algae blooms that can create low-oxygen environments, which are conducive to the growth of toxic cyanobacteria. The initial planting has undergone three years of perennial growth and has seen additional colonization by new native plants. Ducks, geese, turtles, and frogs have nested on the island, and by its third year, the island has grown dense enough that it is difficult to distinguish from the surrounding landscape.
In the fall of 2024, Phase 2 of the project was completed with the installation of solar-powered RGB LED floodlights around the island’s perimeter. These lights illuminate the plants with pulses of colored light, based on data collected through a water quality sensor system that measures temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, and salinity. At sunset, the system converts this data into light and color, making the invisible visible. Thanks to data collected by Dr. Michael Malin and the aquatic ecology lab, we now have sensor data averages and ranges for what a healthy retention pond in the Wilmington area should look like, compared to one that is out of balance. The system uses a green, yellow, and red-light system to convey this information to the public. If sensor data falls within the seasonal average, the lights pulse with a slow green glow. If the data deviates from the average, the lights pulse faster, shifting to yellow and orange. Finally, if the data reaches a dangerous range, indicating a low-oxygen event or high acidity, the lights flash red as a danger warning. This system provides a multimedia water quality measurement tool for the community, raising awareness of when the pond’s aquatic ecosystem teeters in and out of balance. An infographic-style sign explaining how the system works is located along the pond’s banks, with a QR code linking to an online data dashboard where visitors can interact with and explore various data layers, gaining insights into the pond’s health over time, The goal is to spark curiosity in the community, fostering a deeper understanding and empathy regarding retention ponds and human influence on their health and safety.
Future improvements for the Phase 2 system include the creation of a remote viewing system that can be set up in galleries, museums, or science centers. This system will connect to the online data system and remotely pulse with color, while also educating the public about the live project in the field. We also plan to add a webcam to the island, providing viewers with a close-up view of life on the island via the website and remote viewing system. Finally, we need to upgrade our current cellular data system to a scientific research-grade device, as our current commercial-grade system has suffered power loss during low-temperature events in the winter.
Phase 3 – Modular System
Phase 3 will build upon the foundational concepts of the Retention / Detention project, expanding to include both freshwater and marine ecosystems through a modular, adaptable water quality sensor system. This system will be developed by faculty and students in the Digital Arts program and the Coaction Lab. While Phases 1 and 2 established a large, monolithic structure, the modular framework of Phase 3 will allow for adaptation to a variety of aquatic environments, from ponds and rivers to ocean docks and marine ecosystems. This system will feature easily swappable technology that can be tailored to different environments and challenges. We will also create public awareness campaigns to share our art and science systems with the community, gather user feedback, and iterate the project based on responses, reaching a broader grassroots audience.
Initial prototypes for Phase 3 will begin during the summer of 2025 for testing and iterative design challenges in the Fall 2025 and Spring 2026 semesters. This includes collaborations between our Digital Arts, Marine Science, and Environmental Science classes. We have the opportunity to share our initial research and tests at the Fall 2026 FlowILM event at the Cameron Art Museum, potentially collaborating with local nonprofits focused on aquatic ecosystems that are also participating in the event. Based on feedback from the Fall 2025 iterations, we plan to build upon the project in Spring 2026 with deeper cross-collaborations across all three courses. I will continue to refine the modular water quality sensor designs, using local and sustainable materials as well as customizable electronics. In the Digital Arts program, we will explore biodegradable 3D printing materials to reduce plastic waste while developing these systems.