The estimation of both constant and position-dependent parameters in a sectionally integrated hydrodynamical model of tidal flow is considered. It is assumed that the parameters of concern are bottom friction coefficients and water depth and that the available data consists of measured periodic values of water surface height at certain stations. The adjoint equation formulation is used to obtain the parameter equations, and several optimization algorithms are examined and compared for the iterative refinement of the parameter values. An empirical connection is established between the number of parameter values estimated and the minimum number of data stations required to estimate them. ¿American Geophysical Union 1991