Our house is reflected in a small backyard pool
The renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C., causes me to reflect on the condition of the small pool in our backyard. The contrast between them is similar to the vast disparity between the amount spent on the reflecting pool in Washington, and that being spent to restore and protect water quality in our nation’s lakes and rivers.
The cost to renovate the reflecting pool ballooned to about $14 million, or $1.86 million per acre. The nation’s lakes and reservoirs cover about 40 million acres. They receive about $115 per acre for water quality work. That pittance is even more threatened as the current administration has rolled back many existing water quality efforts.
The reflecting pool in Washington is another example of the many sad outcomes we see from the nation’s capital these days. Spend obscene amounts of taxpayer money on window-dressing, self-aggrandizement, image, while slashing funds for countless programs and projects that actually benefit the people.
The reflecting pool covers 7.5 acres, or about 335,412 square feet. Our backyard pool measures about 130 square feet in area and is in serious need of maintenance. Using the same amount per square foot ($862.50) spent on fixing the reflecting pool in Washington, our backyard pool could qualify for $5,460. We could build a new pool for that.
The algae problem in the Washington reflecting pool is reportedly coming from repainting the basin in blue. The darker color absorbs more heat from sunlight, promoting algae growth. You would think that those in charge of that project would have anticipated that. At least the high level of tannin – brown tint from decaying leaves – in the water of our pool is keeping the algae under control by limiting sunlight.
Our backyard pool today originated from an excavated level spot for an above-ground swimming pool. When interest in that evaporated, our young son became inspired to create “the pond.” Hauling tons of rock from a nearby farm field, he dug deeper into the soil, built the rock perimeter and laid a large sheet of thick plastic for the base.
Drain the cesspool
The reflecting pool debacle has inspired some commentators to say that instead of draining the Washington ‘swamp’, the project is making it worse. The “drain the swamp” phrase referring to politics has always irritated me. Anyone familiar with water quality science understands that in terms of the environment swamps are good things. They provide habitat and a filter between surface and groundwater.
If you want to use such an analogy for Washington politics, it should be phrased, “drain the cesspool.” The reflecting pool fiasco is another example of the incompetence of the current leadership. They could have prevented the problems by consulting any of the thousands of water quality scientists and technicians around the nation.
Water covers about 71 percent of the earth’s surface and comprises about 65 percent of the human body. Whether in lakes, rivers, oceans, or reflecting pools, we are drawn to water as much as we need air. We enjoy water sports and fishing. Yet, the most prevalent water ‘sport’ among people who live on lakeshore is simply looking at the water.
As God is the architect of creation, in religious ceremonies such as baptism, water symbolizes redemption and cleansing of the soul. That level of stewardship is needed to restore and protect water quality. Fortunately, for water quality in lakes, streams and rivers, we still have many state, local, and private efforts.
Impaired waters list
Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) is a clunky bureaucratic phrase that describes the amount of pollutants a water body can contain and still meet good water quality standards. Every two years states submit to the federal Environmental Protection Agency an updated list of waters that do not meet the standard. If Washington D.C. were a state, the reflecting pool could be added to the list of waters that exceed the TMDL for nitrogen, phosphorus, dissolved oxygen, and transparency.
Water filling the reflecting pool comes from the Potomac River. For decades two organizations have been making progress on improving water quality in the Potomac. Founded in 1993, Potomac Conservancy “is the region’s leading clean water advocate, fighting to ensure the Potomac River boasts clean drinking water, healthy lands, and vibrant communities.” The Potomac River Keeper Network organizes clean-ups, lobbies lawmakers, and stages public events. They are among hundreds across the country so engaged.
Minnesota is a leader among states for water quality work. Every two years the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency updates its list of lakes, rivers, streams, and wetlands across Minnesota that do not currently meet all water quality standards. This is required for all states under the federal Clean Water Act of 1972. Water bodies on the list are prioritized for water quality improvement efforts. Minnesota’s draft list for 2026 is available for public review and comment through July 22. To learn more, visit the MPCA website.
Water task force
Last spring Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison launched a water task force to study water resources under pressure from growing demand and climate change. (See my Oct. 23, 2025 story in MinnPost). The group of citizens and experts from all sectors held their final meeting June 12 and are reviewing draft recommendations.
“Water is a relatively simple compound, yet its relation to the environment includes almost every branch of science, including political and social science. Vast amounts of data, almost countless water quality projects, and millions of dollars have improved water quality in general, but the work is continuous, and much work remains,” reads the MinnPost story.
“Major issues include groundwater in sensitive areas, the impact of crop and livestock agriculture, municipal stormwater, recreation, mining and climate change, and more recent impacts like water requirements for data centers, which are on the increase.”
There is a huge gap between all the scientific work under way on water quality, and the level of public awareness and understanding. That was a major challenge in the public information work that kept me busy for many years at the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. This is reflected in the Outreach/Education section of the task force draft report:
“Sustainable behaviors must be woven through or cultural fabric… Minnesotans place a high value on a clean, abundant water supply and healthy aquatic ecosystems. Yet relatively few understand the benefits to nature that water provides, the connection between ecosystem health and human well-being, what protecting water and waterways entails.”
All of the above barely scratches the surface, but with a little bit of reflecting on water and the science beneath the surface, maybe a few more lakes and stream segments will be removed from the next list of impaired waters in 2028. Except maybe not our backyard pool. Not sure if I will get it cleaned out by then.
