...
By Dan Gooding
Associate News Editor
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
Algae turned the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool green in Washington, D.C., this week, immediately after a multi-million-dollar refurbishment ordered by President Donald Trump, who touted its new color as "American Flag Blue."
The pool, which stretches from the Lincoln Memorial toward the World War II Memorial close to the White House, has been the backdrop for historical events and everyday life in the nation's capital for decades, with photos showing its changing color and condition.
...
Read More on U.S.
What Happened to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool?
Images of the pool from the last few days have shown algae spreading across the surface just days after the pool was refilled, raising questions about whether the redesign has altered conditions in ways that favor rapid blooms.
Algae has plagued the site since it opened over a century ago, and Trump has set his sights on sorting out the pool's issues for good over the past couple of months.
Hydrogen Peroxide Used to Fight Green Algae Filling the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool
On Tuesday, teams of National Park Service employees and contractors poured chemicals and ozone nanobubbles into the pool, as part of a bid to keep the algae in check. Similar moves were made to clean up the pool before Trump's renovation began.
Hydrogen peroxide is commonly used in water treatment as an oxidizing agent that can break down algae and other organic contaminants.
Photos Show Historical Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool
1963: March on Washington
The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom was a landmark event to advocate for civil and economic rights for Black Americans. The subsequent rally provided the setting for the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr's iconic "I Have a Dream" speech.
...
1968: Poor People's Campaign
Five years after that speech, King was continuing his work as part of a movement aimed at achieving economic and human rights for impoverished Americans. This culminated in an encampment and rallies alongside and in the reflecting pool, called the Poor People's Campaign, or the Poor People's March on Washington.
...
...
...
1989: Mobilize for Women's Lives Rally
A nationwide abortion-rights demonstration, organized by the National Organization for Women, saw another protest staged around the pool in November 1989. Roughly 350,000 people attended the event.
...
1993: Call for Reunion
Thousands of people showed up for a star-studded event organized by Quincy Jones, as part of celebrations for President Bill Clinton's inauguration in January 1993. Performers included Michael Jackson, Aretha Franklin, Diana Ross, Tony Bennett, Ray Charles, and Bob Dylan.
...
1999: Welcoming the New Millennium
Fireworks were set to be launched from the Reflecting Pool and Washington Monument at midnight on New Year's Day, January 1, 2000.
...
2007: Sunsets and Storms
High, blustery winds of up to 40 miles per hour, with gusts to 50 mph, made for choppy waves on the pool on April 16, 2007, turning the pool gray. Later, in November, the pool could be seen reflecting a sunny sky.
...
...
2009: President Barack Obama's Inauguration Celebration
Once again, the pool was an extension of the National Mall, with hundreds of thousands of people camping out ahead of another inauguration. The event included a diverse array of talent, featuring both musical performances and historical readings, and an appearance by then-U.S. President-elect Barack Obama.
...
2010: Turning Green
In this wide-angle shot of the pool from August 2010, the pool looks a little green on a cloudy day in Washington, D.C.
...
2012: A Refurbishment and Algae
The reflecting pool underwent a $30 million refurbishment during Obama's presidency in 2012. Shortly after the pool was refilled, algae appeared.
...
...
2013: 50 Years Since MLK Speech
The event included a commemorative march and rally along the historic route followed on August 28, 1963, and was led by civil rights leader Al Sharpton and Martin Luther King III, King's oldest son.
...
2015: Reflecting Blue Skies
Three years after the refurbishment, the pool appeared clean, doing its job of reflecting the Lincoln Memorial and the blue skies overhead.
...
2020: Protesters and Voters
Sharpton and the National Action Network organized a march with families who lost loved ones to police brutality, calling for criminal justice reform and demanding changes to federal legislation against police misconduct on August 28, 2020, which also marked the 57th anniversary of the March on Washington.
...
...
2021: 20 Years Since 9/11
The pool is seen looking, once again, gray-green on September 11, 2021, 20 years on from the terrorist attacks on Washington, D.C., and New York City.
...
How Many Gallons Is the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool?
The pool holds roughly 6.5 million gallons of water. At its edges, the pool is roughly 18 inches deep, reaching 30 inches in its center.
During the 2012 refurbishment under the Obama administration, a new circulation and filtration system was installed, drawing water from the nearby Tidal Basin. Trump has criticized that refurbishment, saying it was not to a high enough standard.
What To Know About Trump's Multimillion-Dollar Renovations
The overhaul, ordered by Trump as part of a broader effort to revamp the National Mall ahead of the United States' 250th anniversary, involved resurfacing the century-old pool with a dark blue coating intended to improve its appearance and seal leaks.
The pool was drained earlier this year to allow for repairs to its aging basin and infrastructure. Crews then moved in to resurface the interior with the darker coating designed to deliver the “American flag blue” finish Trump had called for, before the pool was refilled and reopened shortly after.
The compressed timeline, from draining to repainting to refilling within weeks, left a relatively short window for systems to be flushed and stabilized, a period when water quality can be especially vulnerable to rapid changes.
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines