The stagnate water zone between Panzarella Park and the Jamestown Board of Public Utilities will become an ecological engineered wetland that will included a floating planter and a seasonal fountain. P-J photo by Dennis Phillips

Green infrastructure and water quality improvements will be happening later this year along the Greater Jamestown Riverwalk between the two pedestrian bridges.

On Tuesday during the city Planning Commission meeting, Andy Johnson, EcoStrategies Engineering and Surveying of Falconer civil engineer, discussed the site plan, which the commission approved, for the improvements that will be taking place along both shores of the Chadakoin River along the Riverwalk.

Johnson said the Chautauqua County Soil and Water Conservation District received a state grant to fund the project.

He said there are four goals to the project: improve the water quality, enhance the aesthetics, create a habitat for the spiny soft shell turtles and educational out reach that will be coordinated by the Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History.

One area of the project is to focus on the area around Panzarella Park and the Jamestown Board of Public Utilities parking lot. Johnson said stormwater boxes will be installed to help collect the water runoff from the parking lot, which will help with the erosion problem.

Also, there is a stagnate water zone between the island park and the BPU parking lot. Johnson said they will create an ecological engineered wetland that will included a floating planter and seasonal fountain to change the area from something that is unattractive into something more aesthetically pleasing.

Johnson said some ramps will be inserted for the spiny soft shell turtles.

Also, some riprap rocks will be installed to help with erosion control.

The project will also include shoreline landscaping, new pervious paver seating areas and porous pavement walkways.

Bidding is ongoing for the project, Johnson said. He said they would like the project to be finished by Oct. 1.