From blue to green to empty, a look at the DC Reflecting Pool saga
When President Donald Trump embarked on an effort to beautify the nation's capital, the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool became a key focus point of that revitalization.
The president unveiled his plans for an "American Flag Blue" basin in the Oval Office in April. The endeavor would cost $1.5 million, he told reporters, but the bill for the project would balloon to over $16 million by June.
The pool measures about 2,000 feet in length and 160 feet in width and sits along the central axis of the National Mall between the Lincoln Memorial to the west and the Washington Monument to the east.
Contractors were hired to sandblast, caulk and resurface the bottom, similar to maintenance work for an industrial-grade pool, the president said.
But shortly after the work was completed in early June, images of an algae-infested pool surfaced, showing slimy green water instead of the blue basin the president promised. Additionally, the American-flag-blue liner began to peel. Trump said the issue was due to "vandals" who had sabotaged the work. In a Truth Social post on June 23, the president said several people had been arrested for the alleged vandalism. Former Olympian David Hearn was one of those indicted and accused of property destruction. He pleaded not guilty on July 9.
As of July 13, the pool was still in the process of being drained again to make repairs.
As the saga continues, here's a timeline of the ongoing work to the Reflecting Pool.
From blue to green to empty, see Reflecting Pool timeline
April: A plan for a more beautiful Reflecting Pool
Trump announces a plan to begin work on the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool due to complaints about a leaky foundation and filthy water, with repairs expecting to take two weeks. Renovations began in mid-April. Atlantic Industrial Coatings LLC was selected to line the pool with polyurea in an attempt to stop ongoing leaks and create the "American Flag Blue" basin effect.
The Interior Department said the color would improve the pool's reflectivity over the previous gray concrete basin.
May: Project hit with a lawsuit
The Cultural Landscape Foundation, a nonprofit, filed a lawsuit on May 11 against the Department of the Interior over the renovation project, arguing it violated federal law by not undergoing the proper review process to make changes to historic places. The nonprofit is requesting that work on the pool be stopped until plans can undergo review.
Litigation remains ongoing. District Judge Carl John Nichols has given the Justice Department until July 17 to file a motion to dismiss the lawsuit, according to court records.
June: Reflecting Pool reopens but quickly turns algae green
The Reflecting Pool reopens in early June but is soon battling a green algae problem due to warm temperatures in the nation's capital. To combat the algae issue, workers dumped hydrogen peroxide into the water and deployed a nanobubble filtration system to make the water more transparent.
Shortly after the chemicals were placed into the water, dead ducks were discovered near or in the Reflecting Pool. It's not yet clear what caused the ducks to die. Moreover, the newly installed liner began to peel. Trump said additional work to the pool would begin after the Fourth of July.
July: Tourist attraction fenced off for Fourth of July
The efforts improved the water quality for a short period of time. However, the water returned to green by the start of the month, as Washington continued to face high temperatures. The National Park Service closed the pool to tourists for the Fourth of July fireworks show and continued renovations.
The latest: Reflecting Pool drained again
On Friday, July 10, crews were observed draining the 6.5-million-gallon pool once more to make way for another round of renovations. On Monday, July 13, water was still slowly draining from the pool, according to USA TODAY reporting.
While speaking on a podcast hosted by Katie Miller, wife of Stephen Miller, Trump's deputy chief of staff, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said the latest renovations were being done to clear firework debris from Independence Day celebrations and repair the work that had been damaged.
Pool has history of issues
The Reflecting Pool had long had a history of issues before Trump decided to undertake the project.
Since its completion in 1923, the pool has been subject to maintenance, cleaning and repair complications. In 1986, an engineering report concluded the pool's structural system was failing. The Interior Department previously told USA TODAY the Reflecting Pool leaks 16 million gallons a year.
In 2012, the Obama administration attempted to repair the pool's water quality, spending millions over 18 months in the process. However, the efforts did not permanently resolve the issue, the department said.
Michelle Del Rey is a trending news reporter at USA TODAY. Reach her at mdelrey@usatoday.com.
Contributing: Mike Stunson
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: From blue to green to empty, a look at the DC Reflecting Pool saga
Reporting by Michelle Del Rey , USA TODAY / USA TODAY
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This story was originally published July 13, 2026 at 2:27 PM.