algae returns – Days after the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool reopened with a new “American Flag blue” surface following a $14.8 million renovation, the water turned bright chartreuse green again. Satellite photos show algae already returning within a week, setting up a fre
The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool looked reborn when workers finished resurfacing it and the water began refilling on June 4. The new surface was meant to be “American Flag blue. ” introduced after a $14.8 million renovation aimed at beautifying the landmark and tackling maintenance issues. including leaks and algae growth.
But the algae didn’t stay away.
Within days, the pool reappeared as a bright chartreuse green. Satellite images taken on June 7—a day after President Donald Trump said the project was complete—showed a darker color. Yet the deeper the calendar moved. the more the old pattern returned: photos taken on June 16 showed the pool had shifted back to its former green hue. visible from the sky.
The resurfacing work was completed on June 3. The pool refilling began on June 4. Before the renovation, satellite photos taken in March showed a green pool due to widespread algae growth. Then. after the president declared the job done. the color changed briefly—only for algae to reassert itself a week later.
Why the pool keeps turning green
The broad, shallow pool has long been plagued by algal blooms. The problem is exacerbated by summer heat and by the Tidal Basin’s algae-prone water.
Structural issues stretch further back. The New York Times reported that the pool was built on unstable mudflats that have caused cracks and leaks over the past century. And even though the recent resurfacing was presented as a fix. The New York Times reported that it did not address the underlying flaws with the pool’s construction. Instead, it coated the slabs of concrete between which water leaks with a blue-tinted sealant.
Interior communications director Kate Martin said on June 10 that Trump “fixed the Reflecting Pool for good.” She contrasted that with what she called the “failed and extremely costly attempt by Obama and Biden.” Martin also pointed to the algae’s return as part of the pool’s ramp-up process. saying: “What you are seeing is residual algae from the supply lines.” She described the new green hue as part of the pool’s “normal startup process.”.
While the color dispute has played out in satellite images and public statements. workers have continued fighting algae growth at the landmark. They have been seen skimming the water. vacuuming the pool floor. using ozone nanobubbles. and dumping hydrogen peroxide in an effort to restore it to its intended “American Flag Blue” color.
A makeover that already stirred controversy
The renovation itself arrived amid a bigger push to reshape the capital’s image during Trump’s second term. Ahead of the country’s 250th birthday, the administration took an expedited approach. It awarded no-bid contracts after arguing that a full procurement process would prevent the National Park Service from reopening the pool in time.
The administration initially said the renovation would cost $1.8 million. But federal records later revealed the contracts totaled $14.8 million.
The Cultural Landscape Foundation, a nonprofit that advocates for the preservation of historic landscapes, challenged the renovation in court. It alleged the administration altered the historic site without completing the required preservation reviews.
Criticism also extended beyond process. Nonprofit leaders said the renovation undermined the landmark’s historical significance. Judy Scott Feldman. president of the National Mall Coalition—a nonprofit that helps protect the capital’s cultural legacy—told CNN: “It’s not supposed to look like you’re going to dive in and swim.” She added: “It wasn’t intended as a place that looks jolly like your local golf course.”.
The Interior Department said the blue surface would improve the pool’s reflection and “enhance the visitor experience.” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social: “It won’t leak, it will shine, and be the pride of Washington DC for decades to come.”
The sequence from “American Flag blue” to chartreuse green has now become the latest test for the promise behind the $14.8 million makeover—because the pool’s resurfacing did not stop algae from returning, and the timeline of its return is as fast as it is visible.
Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool algae American Flag Blue $14.8 million renovation Trump administration National Park Service Tidal Basin leaks hydrogen peroxide ozone nanobubbles satellite photos