There is still no research reports on the hydraulic characteristics and discharge capacities of Z-shape weirs. To study the hydraulic characteristics of Z-shape weirs, six schemes of weir shapes and twelve groups of different flow discharges were carried out by model tests, and the experimental data was analyzed. The results show that, the discharge capacity of Z-shape weirsis proved to be stronger than that of linear-type weirs. Furthermore, the ratio of flow discharge of Z-shape weirs to that of linear-shape weirs(in the same channel)increases with the larger ratio of the crest length to the channel width. In addition, the flow discharge of Z-shape weirs can be calculated by the general weir formulas, and the integrated discharge coefficient is related to the water height on the crest(H), the height of weir(P), the crest length, the width of the front and back weir. The discharge coefficient has a positive relation with the ratio of crest length to channel width and the ratio of the front weir width to the back weir width while it had an inverse relation with H/P. A novel experimental formula is established in the consideration of H/P, the ratio of the crest length to the channel width and the ratio of the front weir width to the back weir width, which can estimate the discharge coefficient of Z-shape weirs.