Albany, NY rainwater: 34,232 gallons off a roof
Rainwater from a roof in Albany, NY
34,232gallons a year
That is a 1,500 sq ft asphalt roof under Albany, NY's normal 43.1 inches of rain, about 795 gallons for every inch that falls.
In Albany, NY a single barrel does most of the work. Storms come often enough that a small tank refills before it runs dry, and a bigger one would mostly sit full.
Rainfall: NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, the Albany 0.7 Sw station (0.7 mi away). Albany, NY ranks 66th wettest of the 90 cities covered in New York.
Month by month in Albany
| Month | Rain (in) | Off the roof (gal) | Garden shortfall (gal) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 2.77 | 2,202 | |
| Feb | 2.35 | 1,868 | |
| Mar | 3.35 | 2,663 | |
| Apr | 3.21 | 2,551 | 142 |
| May | 3.55 | 2,822 | 100 |
| Jun | 4.45 | 3,537 | |
| Jul | 4.66 | 3,704 | |
| Aug | 4.30 | 3,418 | 6 |
| Sep | 3.94 | 3,132 | 51 |
| Oct | 4.17 | 3,314 | 22 |
| Nov | 3.02 | 2,400 | |
| Dec | 3.30 | 2,623 |
Jul is the wettest month (4.66 in, 3,704 gal off the roof); Feb the driest (2.35 in). Garden shortfall is what a 200 sq ft vegetable bed needs beyond the rain that lands on it, April to October.
What size rain barrel for Albany
Best fit: one 55-gallon barrel, which delivers about 251 gallons to the garden in a normal year (78.0% of its need).
If you buy one, a 55-gallon barrel with a downspout diverter is the whole job. Check that the overflow points away from your foundation, because most of Albany's roof water will pass straight through it.
| Tank | Water used (gal/yr) | Spills over (gal/yr) |
|---|---|---|
| 55 gal | 251 | 32,766 |
| 110 gal | 251 | 32,766 |
| 165 gal | 251 | 32,766 |
| 275 gal | 251 | 32,766 |
| 550 gal | 251 | 32,766 |
| 1,000 gal | 251 | 32,766 |
| 1,500 gal | 251 | 32,766 |
| 2,500 gal | 251 | 32,766 |
| 5,000 gal | 251 | 32,766 |
Simulated storm by storm through a normal year using the station's count of days with 0.1 in or more of rain each month.
Is rainwater collection legal in New York?
No statewide rainwater harvesting regulations; check county for local incentives
From the 2015 (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory report 24347); not yet re-checked against current law, so check with your state water agency before building anything large. Source