(from my comment above but 4 layers deep) https://www.wired.com/2015/04/california-spend-4-billion-gallons-water-fish/  It was the second such order in the past three weeks. The SSJID complied with the first. According to the Manteca Bulletin, a local paper that has been covering the standoff, this flushed out 15,000 acre feet of water and 23 steelhead trout. But this latest order, which would reportedly use another 12,000 acre feet to save only six fish, was too much for Shields. (Fisheries agencies haven't yet confirmed that count.)  One acre-foot of water (the amount of water covering 1 acre to a depth of 1 foot) equals 326,000 gallons or 43,560 cubic feet of water, and weighs 2.7 million. pounds. California Population 2019. 39,747,267. (15000 + 12000) x 326000 = 8802000000 8802000000 / 39747267    = 221.45 gallons Or 221.45 gallons of water for each man, woman and child resident of CA. For 29 fish! And they wanted even more water releases! I love fishing and I love trout but I'm afraid this data indicates this resource is too expensive to sustain in this manner.