Quantifying Urban Encroachment and Impact on Lake Ecosystem: Geospatial Insights From Jagannath Sagar Lake, Jeypore City, Odisha, India

ABSTRACT Jeypore, a rapidly urbanizing city in the Koraput district of Odisha, India, faces significant environmental challenges due to population growth and unchecked urban expansion. These challenges, including land encroachment, waterlogging, pollution, and inadequate infrastructure, have led to the progressive degradation of urban water bodies, particularly Jagannath Sagar Lake. This study analyses the spatial and temporal changes in the extent of lake over the past 45 years using integrated remote sensing and GIS techniques, alongside historical cadastral maps and topographic sheets. Results reveal a substantial decline in lake area from 91 ha in 1975 to 77 ha in 2020, primarily due to unauthorized landfilling, illegal construction, slum expansion, and commercial activities. This encroachment has severely impacted the lake's ecological integrity, leading to biodiversity loss, hydrological imbalances, and deteriorating water quality. Urgent conservation measures, policy interventions, and stricter enforcement of environmental regulations are critical to mitigating further degradation. Sustainable urban planning and community‐driven restoration efforts are recommended to safeguard the lake's ecological and hydrological functions.