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Opinion: Algae doesn't care about our party lines
TL;DR
The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool is at the center of a controversy involving algae cleanup efforts. This situation highlights the intersection of environmental issues and political discourse.
Key points
- Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool is a historic site
- Current controversy involves algae cleanup
- The pool has witnessed significant American events
A National Park Service employee uses a vacuum to clean the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein) Mark Schiefelbein/AP
Mark Schiefelbein/AP
The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool has witnessed more than a century of American history, in all its heartbreak and majesty. Crowds have gathered around it in protest and in praise to denounce American wars, and hear great voices sing and speak.
Today, it's the center of a slimy controversy.
President Trump said in April he found the water in the reflecting pool "filthy" and "disgusting." He authorized a no-bid contract to resurface the basin of the 2,000-foot long pool, and paint it "American flag blue" in time for July 4th celebrations.
"I have a guy who's unbelievable at doing swimming pools," the president crowed, before the National Park Service gave out no-bid contracts for sealing and upgrades.
After weeks of renovation, the project has cost taxpayers more than $14 million and… the reflecting pool looks green. And I mean green. Like the Chicago River on St. Patrick's Day. But that river is dyed green for a day. The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool is green because of algae.
Look, algae happens. It's clouded the reflecting pool since it was first filled in 1923. Algae blooms flourish when sunlight falls on warm, sluggish water — like you'd find in a shallow, still pool absorbing the glare and swelter of a Washington D.C. summer.
But a University of Virginia satellite analysis commissioned by the Washington Post saw more algae in the Reflecting Pool this month than at any other time in the past five years.
The Interior Department says workers have deployed "a state-of-the-art ozone nanobubbler filtration system" to banish the algae.
"President Donald J. Trump is an expert builder who has fixed the reflecting pool for good," spokesperson Kate Martin said in a statement this week, "unlike the failed and extremely costly attempt by Obama and Biden."
That's a reference to a major project during President Obama's first term to stop the pool from sinking and add a filtration system.
Q&A
What is the controversy surrounding the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool?
The controversy involves the algae cleanup efforts at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, which has sparked discussions about environmental management and political implications.
Why is the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool significant in American history?
The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool has been a site for significant historical events, including protests and speeches, making it a symbol of American history and democracy.
How does algae growth affect the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool?
Algae growth can impact the aesthetic and environmental quality of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, leading to concerns about its maintenance and public perception.
