In this study, an analytical model has been developed to predict the build-up of heat field due to a point heat source in the presence of sharp cross-flow depth change. The model has been applied to investigate the effect of the depth change and flow pattern on the heat field. Model results show that, when there is a sharp depth change in cross-flow direction, the heat transport across the boundary of the depth change is enhanced or diminished according to the increasing or decreasing of the horizontal diffusion flux. Including residual components as well as tidal currents give rise to reduce the effect of the horizontal diffusion on the heat transport because of increasing the advection of heat.