The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C., has turned green due to an algae bloom shortly after being refilled this month.
The situation has drawn public attention because the discoloration occurred immediately following an expensive restoration of the landmark's infrastructure. The pool is one of the most photographed sites in the U.S. capital, and its current state undermines the intent of recent capital improvements.
Officials said the algae proliferated just over a week [4] after the renovation was completed. The project to restore the pool was costly, with reports on the final price tag varying between $13 million [1] and $14 million [2].
To combat the growth, officials said they have considered the use of hydrogen peroxide to treat the water. The sudden bloom has sparked internal and political friction regarding the quality of the work and the decisions that led to the current state of the pool. Some officials said the issue was due to decisions made by a prior administration, a claim that contrasts with reports focusing on the biological cause of the algae growth.
While some reports describe the water as having turned green, other accounts suggest the water transitioned through a blue phase before reaching its current green hue. The pool remains a focal point of the National Mall, but the rapid onset of the bloom has raised questions about the long-term viability of the recent repairs.
“The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C., has turned green due to an algae bloom.”
The rapid degradation of the pool's water quality following a multi-million-dollar investment suggests either a failure in the new filtration and chemical balance systems or an unforeseen environmental reaction. The shift from technical discussions about algae to political blaming indicates that the maintenance of national monuments has become a point of contention between different administrative eras.
