When Water Dragons mature, they lose the ability to survive on land, entering the water permanently. They are adept swimmers and eat whatever fish are in the lake they live in. They tend to inhabit the same lake for their entire lives, although a few live in the ocean and swim all over the world.

Dragons are highly-intelligent reptilian creatures that—from a human perspective, at least—appear to live forever. Many different varieties of dragon exist, each with their own unique qualities, habitats, and behavior. Adolescence in dragons is usually marked by the growth of a hatchling’s wings, although not all breeds of dragons grow wings and some breeds have other traits that indicate the beginning of maturation. In Galsreim, dragons and humans coexist peacefully.

Each time Backwater surfaces from the depths of his lake, he always checks the beach to see if Lagie is there. If she's not, he doesn't usually hang about that long unless Barry or Linda happen to be swimming. He enjoys their company, and if they've brought along a peach or an apple, they will often share the fruit with Backwater who has a soft spot for such morsels.