Updated
Updated · USA TODAY · Jul 12
Lincoln Reflecting Pool Drained Again After July 4 Debris and Liner Damage
Updated
Updated · USA TODAY · Jul 12

Lincoln Reflecting Pool Drained Again After July 4 Debris and Liner Damage

3 articles · Updated · USA TODAY · Jul 12

Summary

  • National Park Service crews drained the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, leaving the basin nearly empty as workers cleaned out Fourth of July fireworks debris and inspected repairs.
  • The latest shutdown targets damage to the pool’s lining, installed in a multimillion-dollar renovation that ran into problems within days of the pool’s reopening.
  • Fencing and privacy mesh remained around the National Mall landmark as rangers and workers monitored the site and visitors stopped to view the exposed pool bed.
  • The drainage marks the second time in 3 months the reflecting pool has been emptied for cleanup and repairs, underscoring continuing maintenance troubles at the renovated site.

Insights

Is the D.C. beautification effort diverting funds from a $24B national parks maintenance backlog?
Why did the Reflecting Pool's new multimillion-dollar liner fail just days after its grand reopening?
What oversight exists for no-bid contracts when public projects fail so quickly and expensively?