A Texas seventh-grader has built a remote-controlled underwater robot to test water quality in 12 suburban neighbourhood ponds, finding that artificial fountains can help create healthier aquatic ecosystems. Caden Terence Pohlkamp, a student at Trinity Valley School in Fort Worth, Texas, designed and used the submersible device to measure environmental conditions at different depths. His research earned him a place among the national finalists in the Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge, according to candidate profiles published by the Society for Science.
Building an underwater probe
Pohlkamp became interested in the project after noticing differences in water clarity and algae growth in suburban retention ponds near his home. He wanted to collect data below the water without using expensive commercial equipment. He built an underwater remotely operated vehicle with a waterproof body, motorised thrusters, live video transmission and several digital sensors. The sensors were set up to collect real-time readings of important water conditions, including dissolved oxygen, pH, temperature, turbidity and total dissolved solids. The custom vehicle allowed Pohlkamp to explore 12 ponds and reach deeper central areas that are difficult to study from the shore. He collected and compared readings from both surface water and deeper layers near the pond beds.
Fountains improve water quality
The data showed a clear link between mechanical aeration and water quality. Ponds with working decorative fountains or underwater aerators generally had higher dissolved oxygen levels throughout the water compared with ponds without artificial circulation. “The fountains keep the water moving, which prevents thermal stratification and increases dissolved oxygen,” Pohlkamp explained in project documents released through the Society for Science. Higher oxygen levels around the fountains helped create healthier conditions by reducing the chances of harmful algae blooms and bad odours. Ponds without water circulation had lower oxygen levels near the bottom, creating oxygen-poor conditions that can harm fish and promote the breakdown of organic material.
Recognition and future plans
Pohlkamp’s project won top honours at the Fort Worth Regional Science and Engineering Fair before moving on to national judging. From thousands of middle school students across the United States, he was selected as one of 30 national finalists in the 2025 Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge. Society for Science records say his design could provide a lower-cost way for homeowners’ associations, local water management teams and civil engineers to monitor urban stormwater runoff and retention ponds. Beyond environmental robotics, Pohlkamp takes part in maths competitions, school band and youth sports. He plans to improve the underwater vehicle by adding automatic navigation, more chemical sensors and mechanical arms that can collect sediment samples from the bottoms of ponds.