Algae turns Lincoln Reflecting Pool green after $14.65M repaint
What's new: Experts said the shallow, sunlit pool and its darker new surface likely sped algae growth, while crews used peroxide and ozone treatment.
The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington turned green days after a $14.65 million renovation that repainted its bottom “American flag blue,” drawing fresh scrutiny to one of President Donald Trump’s signature capital projects. Experts told NPR the bloom was expected in a shallow, stagnant pool exposed to strong summer sun, and said the darker surface could warm the water and encourage faster algae growth. George Mason University aquatic ecologist Rosalina Stancheva Christova identified the algae as Desmodesmus and said it was growing excessively but was not toxic. The Department of the Interior has blamed residual material in dormant supply lines, while National Park Service crews worked to remove algae using vacuuming, hydrogen peroxide treatment and nanobubble ozone technology.