Although fish are always under they are able to extract air from the water using their gills. The water is also home to many insects and larvae which salmon eat to survive. Salmon live in fresh water such as creeks and rivers when they are first born. They will swim down stream to live in the saltwater of the open ocean for much of their life once they reach their smolting age. After their ocean voyage and adulthood has been reached, they will return to their fresh water streams of origin to spawn and lay eggs, completing their life cycle.
All water is important to fish.
Water in ditches, culverts and swamps is just as important as water in streams. It is not only natural-looking creeks and streams that are important water sources to fish. The drainage ditch on the side of the road may also be supporting salmon. These ditches, along with water that is carried in city storm drains and culverts can be very important sources of water for salmon streams. This unseen water may even be fish habitat themselves.