The Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool in Washington, D.C., turned green with algae shortly after the completion of a multimillion-dollar renovation [1].
The incident has drawn scrutiny toward the Trump administration's management of the project, as the bloom occurred almost immediately after a costly effort to restore the landmark's appearance.
Reports on the final cost of the project vary. The Guardian reported the renovation cost $14.2 million [1], while AP News listed the figure at $14 million [2]. USA Today cited a higher cost of $16 million [5]. The project involved waterproofing and painting work that lasted eight weeks [3].
Observers described the water as turning a chartreuse color [2] or green [1] due to an algal bloom. An Interior Department spokesperson said the algae was "residual" and from supply lines that were dormant during eight weeks of construction [3]. Officials said the bloom was due to these dormant lines combined with warm weather following the work [2, 3].
The timing of the bloom has sparked political friction. The Trump administration blamed former President Barack Obama for the issue [6]. This shift in accountability follows the rapid appearance of the algae, which occurred just days after the renovation was finished [1].
Atlantic Industrial Coatings was involved in the administration's renovation efforts [1]. Despite the high expenditure, the pool's water quality failed to remain clear upon reopening to the public.
“The Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool turned green with algae shortly after the completion of a multimillion-dollar renovation.”
The rapid onset of an algal bloom following a high-cost renovation suggests a failure in the flushing or filtration process of the pool's dormant supply lines. By attributing the failure to a previous administration, the current government is attempting to decouple the project's financial cost from its immediate technical failure.
