For a comparative evaluation of three turbulence models in the analyses of thermal discharge behavior into a crossflow, a 2-dimemsional near-field numerical model is developed. The selected models are k-$varepsilon$ and k-ι turbulence models as a 2-equation turbulence model and a 4-equation turbulence model in which the transport equations for mean of the temperature fluctuation squared and its dissipation rate for the consideration of buoyancy production and turbulent heat flux terms are added to a k-$varepsilon$ turbulence model. The developed models are applied to a steady flow in an open channel with simple geometry and the numerical results agree with the existing experimental data. Numerical results of buoyancy induced gravitational lateral spreading by 4-equation turbulence model agree with the experimental data better than those of 2-quation turbulence models. The flow patterns by 4 and 2-equation turbulence models are similar.