CALIFORNIA Under authority of the act of Congress approved June 25, 1910 (36 Stat. 847), as amended by the act of August 24, 1912 (37 Stat. 497), and on the recommendation of the Secretary of the Interior, it is hereby ordered that the following described tracts of public lands in California be, and they are hereby withdrawn from settlement, location, sale or entry, except as provided in said acts, in aid of proposed legislation authorizing the sale of these lands to the city of Los Angeles to protect and augment said city's water supply system: MOUNT DIABLO MERIDIAN T. 2 N., R. 25 E. Sec. 1— S½ SE¼, E½ SW¼, NW¼ 2—All 11—W½, SE¼ 12—N½ SE¼, N½ S½ SE¼ 13—S½ S½ NE¼, S½ NE¼ SW¼ NE¼, S½ N½ SE¼ NE¼, N½ NE¼ SE¼ NE¼, E½ SE¼ NE¼ NE¼, N½ NE¼ NW¼, SW¼ NE¼ NW¼, NW¼ NW¼, N½ SW¼ NW¼, SW¼ SW¼ NW¼, S½ SE¼ SE¼ NW¼, SE¼ NW¼ SW¼, SW¼ SW¼ E½ SW¼, W½ SE¼ 24—W½, S½ SE¼ T. 3 N., R. 25 E. Sec. 21—E½ E½, NW¼ SW¼, S½ SW¼ 22—W½, W½ E½ 23—E½ NW¼, NE¼ NE¼ 24—All 25—All 26—SE¼ NE¼, E½ NW¼, SW¼ NW¼, SW¼, S½ SE¼, NE¼ SE¼ 27—SE¼ NE¼, NW¼ NW¼, S½ NW¼, S½ 34—All 35—W½, W½ SE¼ T. 1 S., R. 26 E. Sec. 1—E½ E½, SW¼ SE¼, SE¼ SW¼ 10—E½ SW¼, S½ SE¼ 11—S½ S½, N½ SE¼, E½ NE¼ 12—E½ NW¼, NE¼ SW¼, E½ T. 1 N., R. 26 E. Sec. 9—SW½ NE¼, W½ SE¼ 10—Frac. E½ SE¼ 13—Frac. NW¼ NW¼, SW½ NW¼, N½ SW½, E½ SE¼ 14—Frac. SE¼ NE¼, SE¼ 15—E½ E½, SW½ SW½ 22—NE¼ NE¼, NW¼ NW¼ 23—W½ E½ 24—N½ NE¼, SW½ NE¼, E½ NW¼, E½ SW½ 25—NE¼ NW¼, SW½ NW¼, NW¼ SW½ 26—NE¼ NW¼, N½ SE¼ 27—W½ NW¼, NW¼ SW½ 34—E½ SE¼ 35—SW½ NW¼ T. 2 N., R. 26 E. Sec. 2—All Frac. Sec. 3—All 4—All 5—All 6—E½ E½ 7—N½, N½ S½, N½ S½ S½ 8—All 9—All 10—NW¼ NW¼, W½ SW½, SE¼ SW½, SE¼, SE¼ NE¼ 11—Frac. NE¼ SW½, Frac. S½ S½ 14—All Frac. Sec. 15—All 17—N½ N½, SW½ NW¼, NW¼ SW½, NE¼ SE¼, S½ SE¼ 18—S½ NW¼ NE¼, S½ NW¼, S½ N½ NW¼, NE¼ SW½ 19—SW½ SW½ 20—N½ NE¼ 21—All Frac. Sec. 22—All Frac. See. 23—All Frac. Sec. T. 3 N., R. 26 E. Sec. 1—All 2—All 3—All 4—All 5—N½, SW½, N½ SE¼ 6—All 7—E½, NW¼, E½ SW½ 8—W½, SW½ NE¼, NW¼ SE¼, S½ SE¼ 9—E½, E½ W½, NW¼ NW¼, SW½ SW½ 10—N½, SE¼, N½ SW½ 11—N½, N½ S½, SE¼ SE¼, SW½ SW½ 12—N½ N½, SW½ NW¼, NW¼ SW½, NE¼ SE¼, S½ NE¼ 13—SW½ NW¼ 14—S½, S½ N½, N½ NW¼ 15—S½, S½ N½, NE¼ NE¼, NW¼ NW¼ 17—All 18—E½, W½ W½, SE¼ SW½ 19—All 20—All Sec. 21—All 22—All 23—All 24—NE¼ SW¼, SW¼ SW¼ 26—NW¼ NE¼, NW¼, N½ SW¼ 27—All 28—E½, NW¼, S½ SW¼, S½ N½ SW¼, NE¼ NE¼ SW¼ 29—N½ NE¼, N½ SE¼ NE¼, SW¼ SW¼ NE¼ N½ NE¼ NW¼, SW¼ NW¼ NW¼, N½ SW¼ NW¼, NW¼ SE¼ NW¼, S½ S½ NW¼, SW¼, S½ SE¼, S½ N½ SE¼, N½ NW¼ SE¼, NW¼ NE¼ SE¼ 30—W½, SE¼, W½ NE¼, SE¼ NE¼, S½ NE¼ NE¼, NW¼ NE¼ NE¼ 31—E½, NW¼, N½ SW¼ 32—All 33—W½, W½ E½, NE¼ SE¼ 34—SW¼ NE¼, NW¼, N½ SW¼, SE¼ SW¼, SE¼ T. 1 N., R. 27 E. Sec. 13—SE¼ NE¼, NW¼ SW¼ 14—W½ SE¼ 17—All Frac. Sec. 18—All Frac. Sec. 19—All 22—S½ NW¼ 24—NW¼ 25—S½, NE¼, S½ NW¼, NE¼ NW¼ 30—SW¼ T. 2 N., R. 27 E. Sec. 6—All Frac. Sec. T. 3 N., R. 27 E. Sec. 1—E½, NW¼, N½ SW¼, SW¼ SW¼ 2—All 3—All 4—All 5—All 6—All 7—N½, N½ SW¼ 8—W½, W½ NE¼, NE¼ NE¼, S½ SE¼ 9—E½, NW¼ NW¼, S½ SW¼ 10—N½ NW¼, SW¼ NW¼, NW¼ SW¼ 11—E½, NW¼, E½ SW¼, SW¼ SW¼ 12—All 13—N½, SW¼ 14—S½ NE¼ 15—SW¼ SW¼ 17—NE¼, N½ NW¼, SW¼ NW¼ 19—N½ NE¼ 21—NW¼ NW¼ 24—W½, W½ NE¼, SE¼ 25—N½, E½ SE¼ 26—S½ NE¼ T. 1 S., R. 28 E. Sec. 3—N½ 4—N½ 5—N½ 6—N½ T. 1 N., R. 28 E. Sec. 1—All 2—All 3—All 4—E½, SW¼ 8—E½ SW¼, SE¼ 9—All 10—All 11—All 12—All 13—All 14—All 15—All 17—E½, NE¼ NW¼, S½ SW¼ 18—NW¼ 19—S½ NE¼, S½ 20—All 21—All 22—All 23—All 24—All 25—All 20—All 27—All 28—All 29—All 30—All 31—All 32—All 33—All 34—All T. 2 N., R. 28 E. Sec. 1—E½, NW¼ 2—All 3—W½ 4—All 5—S½ NE¼, N½ SE¼ 6—Frac. NW¼, S½ NE¼, Frac. SE¼ 9—All 10—All 11—All 12—E½, SW¼ 13—All 14—SE¼ 15—N½, SW¼ 21—All Frac. Sec. 22—E½, NW¼, N½ SW¼, SE¼ SW¼ 23—All 24—All 25—E½, E½ W½, W½ SW¼ 26—All 27—E½ E½, W½ SW¼ 34—E½ 35—All T. 3 N., R. 28 E. Sec. 1—All 2—S½ 3—E½ NE¼ 4—S½ S½, NW¼ SW¼ 5—S½, N½ NW¼, SW¼ NW¼ 6—E½, NW¼ 7—All 8—All 9—N½ N½ 10—N½ NW¼ 11—E½, SW¼, E½ NW¼ 12—All 13—N½, E½ SE¼ 14—NE¼ 17—W½, S½ SE¼ 18—All 19—E½, NW¼ 20—NW¼ 21—SE¼ 22—N½ 23—S½ 24—E½ NE¼ 29—S½ 30—All 31—All 32—NE¼, SW¼, N½ SE¼ 33—All 34—S½, NW¼ 35—SW¼ T. 4 N., R. 28 E. Sec. 4—Frac. NW¼, NW¼ SW¼, Frac. E½ SW¼, Frac. SE¼ 5—Frac. E½, NW¼ NW¼, S½ NW¼, SW¼ 6—N½, SW¼, S½ SE¼, NE¼ SE¼ 7—All 8—E½ NE¼, SW¼ NE¼, E½ NW¼, SW¼ NW¼, SW¼, S½ SE¼, NW¼ SE¼ 9—All Frac. Sec. 10—All Frac. Sec. 14—Frac. W½ 15—E½, SW¼, N½ NW¼ 17—All 18—E½, SW¼, S½ NW¼, NW¼ NW¼ 19—All 20—All 21—W½, NW¼ NE¼, E½ SE¼ 22—W½, N½ NE¼ 23—N½ NW¼ 27—NW¼, NW¼ SW¼ 28—NE¼, N½ NW¼, NW¼ SW¼, S½ S½, NE¼ SE¼ 29—N½, SW¼, N½ SE¼ 30—All 31—All 32—All 33—S½, NW¼, S½ NE¼, NW¼ NE¼ 34—W½ SW¼ 35—NE¼, E½ SE¼ T. 2 N., R. 29 E. Sec. 4—All 5—All 6—E½ 7—All 8—All 9—W½, NE¼ 17—W½ 18—N½ NE¼, NW¼, NW¼ SW¼, S½ SW¼, SE¼ 19—All 20—All 21—S½ 27—S½, NW¼ 28—All 29—All 30—All 31—W½ NE¼, NW¼, N½ SW¼, NW¼ SE¼ 32—N½ NE¼, NE¼ NW¼, E½ SW¼, SE¼ 33—All 34—All T. 3 N., R. 29 E. Sec. 4—All Frac. Sec. 5—All 6—All 7—All 8—All 9—All 17—All 18—All 19—E½, E½ NW¼, NW¼ NW¼, NE¼ SW¼ 20—All 21—All 28—All 29—E½ 32—E½ NW¼, SW¼, E½ 33—All. This order shall continue in full force and effect unless and until revoked by the President or by act of Congress. HERBERT HOOVER The White House, November 25, 1929.
Executive Order 5229—Los Angeles Water Supply
Executive Brief • At a Glance
The following described tracts of public lands in California be, and they are hereby withdrawn from settlement, location, sale or entry, except as provided in said acts, in aid of proposed legislation authorizing the sale of these lands to the city of Los Angeles to protect and augment said city's water supply system: MOUNT DIABLO MERIDIAN T. 2 N., R. 25 E. Sec. 1— S½ SE¼, E½ SW¼, NW¼ 2—All 11—W½, SE¼ 12—N½ SE¼, N½ S½ SE¼ 13—S½ S½ NE¼, S½ NE¼ SW¼ NE¼, S½ N½ SE¼ NE¼, N½ NE¼ SE¼ NE¼, E½ SE¼ NE¼ NE¼, N½ NE¼ NW¼, SW¼ NE¼ NW¼, NW¼ NW¼, N½ SW¼ NW¼, SW¼ SW¼ NW¼, S½ SE¼ SE¼ NW¼, SE¼ NW¼ SW¼, SW¼ SW¼ E½ SW¼, W½ SE¼ 24—W½, S½ SE¼ T. 3 N., R. 25 E. Sec. 21—E½ E½, NW¼ SW¼, S½ SW¼ 22—W½, W½ E½ 23—E½ NW¼, NE¼ NE¼ 24—All 25—All 26—SE¼ NE¼, E½ NW¼, SW¼…
Plain-English Translation & Framers' Constitutional Analysis
Early Statesman synthesis distilling legal jargon into practical meaning, statutory anchors, and structural constitutional impacts.
Signed by President Herbert Hoover on November 25, 1929, this order concerns Los Angeles Water Supply. The following described tracts of public lands in California be, and they are hereby withdrawn from settlement, location, sale or entry, except as provided in said acts, in aid of proposed legislation authorizing the sale of these lands to the city of Los Angeles to protect and augment said city's water supply system: MOUNT DIABLO MERIDIAN T. 2 N., R. 25 E. Sec. 1— S½ SE¼, E½ SW¼, NW¼ 2—All 11—W½, SE¼ 12—N½ SE¼, N½…
Key Directives & Operative Actions
The following described tracts of public lands in California be, and they are hereby withdrawn from settlement, location, sale or entry, except as provided in said acts, in aid of proposed legislation authorizing the sale of these lands to the city of Los Angeles to protect and augment said city's water supply system: MOUNT DIABLO MERIDIAN T. 2 N., R. 25 E. Sec. 1— S½ SE¼, E½ SW¼, NW¼ 2—All 11—W½, SE¼ 12—N½ SE¼, N½ S½ SE¼ 13—S½ S½ NE¼, S½ NE¼ SW¼ NE¼, S½ N½ SE¼ NE¼, N½ NE¼ SE¼ NE¼, E½ SE¼ NE¼ NE¼, N½ NE¼ NW¼, SW¼ NE¼ NW¼, NW¼ NW¼, N½ SW¼ NW¼, SW¼ SW¼ NW¼, S½ SE¼ SE¼ NW¼, SE¼ NW¼ SW¼, SW¼ SW¼ E½ SW¼, W½ SE¼ 24—W½, S½ SE¼ T. 3 N., R. 25 E. Sec. 21—E½ E½, NW¼ SW¼, S½ SW¼ 22—W½, W½ E½ 23—E½ NW¼, NE¼ NE¼ 24—All 25—All 26—SE¼ NE¼, E½ NW¼, SW¼…
Constitutional & Societal Entities Impacted
Policy Areas & Topics
The Framers' Constitutional Council
1787 PrismEvaluating this order against the constitutional debates of 1787 and the limits of Article II executive power.
"When the President acts in absence of either a congressional grant or denial of authority, he can only rely upon his own independent powers, but there is a zone of twilight in which he and Congress may have concurrent authority."
James Madison
Separation of Powers & Legislative Primacy
"Power is of an encroaching nature, and it ought to be effectually restrained from passing the limits assigned to it." — Federalist No. 48 (1788)
Madison would view this order with watchful scrutiny. Operating in the 'Zone of Twilight' where Congress is silent, each such directive establishes an administrative precedent that steadily expands the executive perimeter at the expense of legislative primacy.
Alexander Hamilton
The Energetic Executive & Unified Command
"A feeble Executive implies a feeble execution of the government; and a government ill executed, whatever it may be in theory, must be, in practice, a bad government." — Federalist No. 70 (1788)
Hamilton would view this directive as the natural and indispensable functioning of administrative leadership. Without the power to coordinate agencies, manage personnel, and resolve operational ambiguities, the modern presidency would be reduced to an impotent figurehead.
George Mason
Bill of Rights, Due Process & 10th Amendment
"The president will be surrounded by flatterers and sycophants... and the great powers of the executive will gradually absorb the liberties of the people." — Cato IV (Anti-Federalist, 1787)
The Anti-Federalist prism advises continuous democratic vigilance. Even routine administrative directives aggregate centralized federal power away from town halls and state assemblies toward a distant executive apparatus.
Five Measurable "Constitutional Friction" Dimensions
An objective audit measuring potential separation-of-powers tension against the United States Constitution and established Supreme Court doctrine.
Legislative Encroachment & Purse
Operates within delegated statutory execution without modifying legislative appropriations or taxing powers.
Executive Scope & Faithfulness
Exercises standard supervisory executive authority to faithfully execute existing statutes.
Federalism & State Sovereignty
Confined strictly to internal federal jurisdiction, federal property, or direct military command.
Due Process & Individual Rights
Focuses on internal governmental operations with no direct impairment of private rights or property.
Youngstown Jacksonian Tier
The order relies on inherent Article II executive discretion, civil service management, or foreign diplomacy where Congress has neither expressly approved nor prohibited action.
This order operates within Justice Jackson’s Zone of Twilight, resting upon concurrent presidential authority or congressional silence.
Scholarly & Legal Citations
Exec. Order No. 5229 (Nov. 25, 1929), https://executiveordersarchive.org/orders/app-executive-order-5229-los-angeles-water-supply.