The environmental acceptability of many existing and proposed medium and high head dams hinges on the ability to provide both safe and economic passage of upstream and downstream migrating fish. In some cases, the only available space includes areas that are subject to erosion, sedimentation, or flood-borne debris damage. Other systems are successful in transporting fish of uniform size over dams. Trap and truck operations have been successful but are expensive to operate. Mechanical fish lifts have worked where site geometry allows for a straight vertical or inclined lift of a tank. The Obermeyer system aims to provide solutions to the aforementioned problems by providing a system that allows for a space-effective system that is both flexible in its construction and safe for the passage of fish.