The vortex formation and entrainment characteristics for a round transverse jet in shallow water were experimentally investigated by means of a combination of LIF flow visualization and PIV measurement. A scarf vortex wrapped around the main body of the jet is formed in the near-wall region due to the interaction between the resulting wall jet and sufficiently shallow crossflow, with some more or less unsteady flow properties and with spreading ranges as functions of both the velocity ratio and the water depth within the near field. The entrainment of the ambient crossflow fluid into the jet main body is closely associated with the time-evolving features of the shear layer between the jet and surrounding fluid as well as the induced vortical structures near the wall. In the case of slight impingement upon the wall, the interaction between the jet shear layer and the weak, unstable scarf vortex gives rise to an appreciable local entrainment enhancement, confined in the near-wall region in the vicinity of the stagnation point. While in the case of intense impingement upon the wall, the well-organized and stable scarf vortex gives rise to a greatly enhanced entrainment and a greatly increased lateral spreading rate nearly throughout the overall near field as compared to the conventional wall jet. In addition, the entrainment of the ambient crossflow fluid by the scarf vortex in this case occurs largely on the surface of the unique spiral roller structure by itself due to the presence of smaller and unorganized eddies, and accordingly the scarf vortex is likely to keep its spiral roller structure steadily to a relatively great downstream distance within the near field.