National Park Service to drain Reflecting Pool after July Fourth

By David Zimmermann

Published June 25, 2026 4:50pm ET Updated June 25, 2026 4:50pm ET

The National Park Service plans to begin draining the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool directly after America’s 250th birthday on July Fourth to repair any damage to the pool’s lining.

In a court filing late Wednesday, the park service’s deputy director for operations, Frank Lands, said the plan is to “conduct repairs, including assessing and repairing any damage to the lining.”