A $14 million federal project to beautify the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool has run into a problem that paint can’t fix. The pool — coated in what officials called “American flag blue” as part of a Trump administration makeover — is now thick with algae, according to NPR, which published the report Friday, June 20.
The bloom appeared despite the substantial investment and the fresh coating meant to give the landmark a patriotic look. No timeline for a fix has been announced.
Algae thrive in still, nutrient-rich water exposed to sunlight — conditions the Reflecting Pool has long struggled with. The pool stretches roughly 2,000 feet between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument, and its shallow depth makes it especially prone to blooms when water circulation is insufficient.
The $14 million price tag was already drawing scrutiny before the algae showed up. Now the green-tinged water is hard to ignore — and the optics of a federally funded showpiece gone swampy aren’t easy to spin. NPR framed the situation in an opinion piece with a dry observation: algae, it noted, doesn’t check party registration before it grows.
Whether the administration will treat the bloom chemically, improve circulation, or drain and re-treat the pool isn’t clear. The National Park Service, which oversees the Mall, hadn’t issued a public statement on next steps as of the NPR report’s publication date.
Originally reported by NPR. Read the original report.
