4 million gallons of water to be drained from Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool

About 4 million gallons of water will be drained from the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool so crews can fix a broken water line that’s caused algae to form in it.

“The problem with the water line has compromised the circulation system in the pool, leading to issues with the water quality, including the growth of algae and a noticeable green tint to the water,” the National Park Service said in a statement.

The work to drain the pool started Thursday and is expected to take about five or six days, park service officials said. Crews will then start fixing the water line and cleaning the bottom of the pool before refilling it.

The reflecting pool is an icon among Washington’s tourist attractions, getting about 24 million visitors a year along the Mall. It stretches for eight acres and was built in the 1920s.

It isn’t the first time the reflecting pool has been drained.

Most recently, it was drained and cleaned in 2017 after 80 ducklings died there. The National Park Service had said the ducklings died because of a parasite in snails that lived in the water.

The pool underwent a major, two-year restoration in 2010 and the depth of it was reduced to hold 4 million gallons from 7 million gallons, officials said.