The shallow flow equations solved on adaptive quadtree grids

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>This paper describes an adaptive quadtree grid‐based solver of the depth‐averaged shallow water equations. The model is designed to approximate flows in complicated large‐scale shallow domains while focusing on important smaller‐scale localized flow features. Quadtree grids are created automatically by recursive subdivision of a rectangle about discretized boundary, bathymetric or flow‐related seeding points. It can be fitted in a fractal‐like sense by local grid refinement to any boundary, however distorted, provided absolute convergence to the boundary is not required and a low level of stepped boundary can be tolerated. Grid information is stored as a tree data structure, with a novel indexing system used to link information on the quadtree to a finite volume discretization of the governing equations. As the flow field develops, the grids may be adapted using a parameter based on vorticity and grid cell size. The numerical model is validated using standard benchmark tests, including seiches, Coriolis‐induced set‐up, jet‐forced flow in a circular reservoir, and wetting and drying. Wind‐induced flow in the Nichupté Lagoon, México, provides an illustrative example of an application to flow in extremely complicated multi‐connected regions. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd.</jats:p>