Algae Crisis Spreads: More Dead Ducks Found Near National Mall

The algae problem at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool isn’t staying put. Two more ducks have turned up dead at Constitution Gardens, roughly 250 feet from the site of the botched $16 million renovation that triggered the initial outbreak—and that distance isn’t offering nearly enough protection.

Sunday afternoon brought another grim discovery: a duck pulled from the water, covered in green slime and plant matter. The telltale algae coating tells a worrying story. What started as a localized disaster at the Reflecting Pool appears to be spreading, with algae spores jumping to nearby bodies of water and potentially creating a cascading environmental crisis across the National Mall.

This is particularly brutal timing. With the nation’s 250th birthday celebration less than two weeks away, both the White House and the National Mall are struggling with visible ecological damage. The ducks living in these waters—once a scenic fixture of Washington, D.C.—are now dropping at an alarming rate. Officials are watching what could become a much larger infestation, one that might leave taxpayers footing an even bigger bill than the already-staggering initial renovation costs.

If you’re a waterfowl in the area, the message is clear: don’t stick around to find out if things get worse. Early migration might be the smartest survival strategy right now.