Duck-Killing Parasite Invades Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, Will Be Completely Drained

WASHINGTON, DC — A water-borne parasite has invaded the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, killing about 80 ducklings and prompting the National Park Service to completely drain the pool on Sunday.

The NPS will drain the pool starting June 11 for cleaning and treatment of a water-borne parasite, and the pool will be refilled and operational again on Monday, June 19, according to an NPS statement.

"Beginning May 20 and 21, approximately 80 ducklings have been found deceased in the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool," the statement reads. "Necropsy performed on the ducks by the U.S. Geological Survey’s National Wildlife Health Center suggests the cause of death was high levels of parasites that develop and grow in snails that live in the pool. Chemical treatments alone are not sufficient to fully reduce the parasite and snail population, so the pool must be drained and cleaned."

Humans are at risk too if they were to climb into the pool, as the parasite can cause "swimmer's itch," an allergic reaction in the form of a skin rash. However, it is not contagious and rarely requires medical treatment.

It will take about two days for the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool to fully drain, and crews will start to clean the pool bottom on Tuesday, June 13. They will use skid steers, pumper and water trucks, and a sprayer.

The cleaning should wrap up and refilling begin on Friday, June 16. After that, NPS will continue to monitor the pool.

The Reflecting Pool, which was constructed in the 1920s, has been the site of many famous demonstrations and protests, including Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have A Dream" speech as 250,000 people crowded around the pool.

Image via Wikimedia user Hu Totya