Crews are draining the Lincoln Memorial's Reflecting Pool again as President Donald Trump's problem-plagued effort to renovate the site pushes past his initial July 4 deadline
I mean, I honestly don’t like Trump. That said, the pool was originally drinking water, and an Obama era revamp switched it to filtered tidal water. The water that fills it now has way more organic molecules, even with the filtering, leading to algae blooms. The blooms can’t really be treated with standard algaecide due to its effect on wild life.
Trump made the situation worse by painting the bottom of the pool. But the reason is was good for decades prior was due to being drinking water, which has far less capability to host life.
Thanks for the link, but I actually do understand how pools and algae growth functions. I’m a biochemist (or, at least I was), and have been taking care of pools off and on most of my life.
It would be a fuck ton more difficult to manage a pool with tidal water as a source compared to potable water. Its not the only reason the pool has grown more algae, and its still ultimately due to mismanagement during the Trump administration (i.e. not monitoring/managing the algae level and water source). However, ignoring how the switch to tidal water effected the number and frequency of algae blooms is disingenuous.
Are we doing a “blame the right for everything and not attempt to be honest” thing because that is their go-to? I mean, I’m down I guess at this point, but can I get a wink or something when we are doing it?
I never asserted to “blame the right,” in my argument, just stated that even under ideal conditions algae happens. Your initial assertion was that the tidal water was to blame. I merely stated that the situation is more complex and other factors could be contributing as well.
The article you provided states that algal blooms happened prior to the switch to tidal water, which provides evidence against your initial argument, that tidal water is the cause.
The article you sited is not a scientific evaluation of the reflection pool fails to provide any data on the frequency of algal bloom events, the chemistry of the water, and the impact of the local environment (even if it comes from a reputable source). Scientists are trained in knowing the difference between opinion/hypotheticals and data driven papers.
You eluded to multiple factors in your follow up comment that I agree with, such as frequency of monitoring and overall management. These factors and other potential unknowns could be contributing to the blooms.
I mean, I honestly don’t like Trump. That said, the pool was originally drinking water, and an Obama era revamp switched it to filtered tidal water. The water that fills it now has way more organic molecules, even with the filtering, leading to algae blooms. The blooms can’t really be treated with standard algaecide due to its effect on wild life.
Trump made the situation worse by painting the bottom of the pool. But the reason is was good for decades prior was due to being drinking water, which has far less capability to host life.
Many pools filled with potable (drinking) water grow algae if the chemicals are out of balance. Blaming the water source may seem like the easiest answer, but there are a lot of factors to consider. Here’s a reputable pool website discussing pools with algae problems and how to treat them.
Thanks for the link, but I actually do understand how pools and algae growth functions. I’m a biochemist (or, at least I was), and have been taking care of pools off and on most of my life.
It would be a fuck ton more difficult to manage a pool with tidal water as a source compared to potable water. Its not the only reason the pool has grown more algae, and its still ultimately due to mismanagement during the Trump administration (i.e. not monitoring/managing the algae level and water source). However, ignoring how the switch to tidal water effected the number and frequency of algae blooms is disingenuous.
Are we doing a “blame the right for everything and not attempt to be honest” thing because that is their go-to? I mean, I’m down I guess at this point, but can I get a wink or something when we are doing it?
Anyway, here is an article discussing it: https://cen.acs.org/environment/water/why-the-reflecting-pool-turns-green/104/web/2026/06
I never asserted to “blame the right,” in my argument, just stated that even under ideal conditions algae happens. Your initial assertion was that the tidal water was to blame. I merely stated that the situation is more complex and other factors could be contributing as well.
The article you provided states that algal blooms happened prior to the switch to tidal water, which provides evidence against your initial argument, that tidal water is the cause.
The article you sited is not a scientific evaluation of the reflection pool fails to provide any data on the frequency of algal bloom events, the chemistry of the water, and the impact of the local environment (even if it comes from a reputable source). Scientists are trained in knowing the difference between opinion/hypotheticals and data driven papers.
You eluded to multiple factors in your follow up comment that I agree with, such as frequency of monitoring and overall management. These factors and other potential unknowns could be contributing to the blooms.
You’re on lemmy. Of course they are.
Personally, I don’t think it should have ever been on drinking water. Moving it off of it was the right move.
I mean, I agree. The changes during the PBA administration made sense and were better for the environment and Washington DC people.
Allegedly
Which part is allegedly?