Salmon Habitat Salmon Habitat Scanned images are from Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission Trees, shrubs and grasses along the streambank and in the floodplain help provide shade and food, protect the bank from erosion, and maintain water flows throughout the year. Streamside vegetation and wetlands help absorb floodwaters in winter and maintain water flow in the summer. Salmon eggs develop and young fish hide in spaces between the stream's gravel. Silt from eroding banks and run-off impairs the water and oxygen circulation critical for survival.
Estuaries are important habitat areas for salmon.
They are rich in food and provide shelter for the young fish as they transition from fresh to salt water environments. They also are important to adult salmon, helping them build their energy reserves before they head upstream to spawn .