President Donald Trump has instructed the National Park Service to undertake emergency repairs on the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, which has been overrun by an algal bloom. The order, delivered via Twitter on Tuesday morning, demands that the pool be drained and restored within 48 hours.
The Reflecting Pool, a 2,029-foot-long basin between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument, has been plagued by algae growth for weeks. Photographs circulating on social media showed the water tinged green, with dead fish floating on the surface.
"The Reflecting Pool at the Lincoln Memorial is a disgrace. It is filled with algae and dead fish. It must be fixed immediately, not in a year," the President wrote. "I am directing the National Park Service to drain it and make it beautiful again. It is an embarrassment to our country."
The National Park Service confirmed it had received the directive and was mobilising resources. A spokesperson said the pool would be drained starting Wednesday, with repairs expected to take three to five days. The pool will be treated with a copper-based algicide before refilling.
The Reflecting Pool, completed in 1923, is a major tourist attraction and a symbol of American democracy. It has undergone several renovations, the most recent a $34 million overhaul completed in 2012. However, the shallow water and warm temperatures during the summer months create conditions favourable for algae growth.
Environmental groups criticised the President's order. "Draining the pool is a short-term fix that ignores the underlying issues," said Dr. Sarah Collins, a limnologist at the University of Maryland. "The algae are a symptom of nutrient runoff and high temperatures. Without addressing those, the problem will recur."
The President's tweet follows a series of executive actions aimed at preserving national monuments and improving federal lands. Critics, however, note that the Reflecting Pool is not a high-priority infrastructure issue. The National Park Service faces a deferred maintenance backlog exceeding $11 billion.
Work on the pool begins at 6 a.m. Wednesday. The public can expect closures on the National Mall between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument until further notice.