Amsterdam, NY rainwater: 35,273 gallons off a roof
Rainwater from a roof in Amsterdam, NY
35,273gallons a year
That is a 1,500 sq ft asphalt roof under Amsterdam, NY's normal 44.4 inches of rain, about 795 gallons for every inch that falls.
In Amsterdam, 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 Pattersonville 4.2 Ssw station (8.5 mi away). Amsterdam, NY ranks 57th wettest of the 90 cities covered in New York.
Month by month in Amsterdam
| Month | Rain (in) | Off the roof (gal) | Garden shortfall (gal) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 2.97 | 2,361 | |
| Feb | 2.44 | 1,939 | |
| Mar | 3.25 | 2,583 | |
| Apr | 3.67 | 2,917 | 85 |
| May | 3.81 | 3,028 | 67 |
| Jun | 4.56 | 3,624 | |
| Jul | 4.63 | 3,680 | |
| Aug | 4.13 | 3,283 | 27 |
| Sep | 3.62 | 2,877 | 91 |
| Oct | 4.26 | 3,386 | 11 |
| Nov | 3.39 | 2,694 | |
| Dec | 3.65 | 2,901 |
Jul is the wettest month (4.63 in, 3,680 gal off the roof); Feb the driest (2.44 in). Garden shortfall is what a 200 sq ft vegetable bed needs beyond the rain that lands on it, April to October.
Barrel or cistern in Amsterdam?
Best fit: one 55-gallon barrel, which delivers about 216 gallons to the garden in a normal year (76.7% of its need).
If you set one up, a 55-gallon barrel with a downspout diverter is the whole job. Check that the overflow points away from your foundation, because most of Amsterdam's roof water will pass straight through it.
| Tank | Water used (gal/yr) | Spills over (gal/yr) |
|---|---|---|
| 55 gal | 216 | 33,723 |
| 110 gal | 216 | 33,723 |
| 165 gal | 216 | 33,723 |
| 275 gal | 216 | 33,723 |
| 550 gal | 216 | 33,723 |
| 1,000 gal | 216 | 33,723 |
| 1,500 gal | 216 | 33,723 |
| 2,500 gal | 216 | 33,723 |
| 5,000 gal | 216 | 33,723 |
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