Algae fill Lincoln Reflecting Pool, threaten repaint plan
cultureJun 18, 202616252
Algae have overtaken the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, turning the basin bright green and forming a thick surface mat. The bloom threatens the administration's plan to repaint the pool "American flag blue" after roughly $14 million was spent on the work. A new internal memo warns the project faces hazards and may not be completed in time for July 4, complicating the push to finish before the holiday. Scientists and engineers say the darker blue paint lowered the basin's albedo and trapped solar heat, creating warmer conditions that accelerated algae growth, which matters because it risks public health, damages taxpayer-funded restoration work, and undermines a high-profile national-park project.
