Auburn, NY rainwater: 35,178 gallons off a roof
Auburn, NY: gallons off the roof each year
35,178gallons a year
That is a 1,500 sq ft asphalt roof under Auburn, NY's normal 44.3 inches of rain, about 795 gallons for every inch that falls.
In Auburn, 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 Auburn station (1.1 mi away). Auburn, NY ranks 59th wettest of the 90 cities covered in New York.
Month by month in Auburn
| Month | Rain (in) | Off the roof (gal) | Garden shortfall (gal) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 2.93 | 2,329 | |
| Feb | 2.48 | 1,971 | |
| Mar | 3.23 | 2,567 | |
| Apr | 3.68 | 2,925 | 84 |
| May | 3.77 | 2,996 | 72 |
| Jun | 4.10 | 3,259 | 31 |
| Jul | 4.31 | 3,426 | 5 |
| Aug | 4.26 | 3,386 | 11 |
| Sep | 3.87 | 3,076 | 60 |
| Oct | 4.47 | 3,553 | |
| Nov | 3.59 | 2,853 | |
| Dec | 3.57 | 2,837 |
Oct is the wettest month (4.47 in, 3,553 gal off the roof); Feb the driest (2.48 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 Auburn
Best fit: one 55-gallon barrel, which delivers about 187 gallons to the garden in a normal year (71.1% 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 Auburn's roof water will pass straight through it.
| Tank | Water used (gal/yr) | Spills over (gal/yr) |
|---|---|---|
| 55 gal | 187 | 33,431 |
| 110 gal | 187 | 33,431 |
| 165 gal | 187 | 33,431 |
| 275 gal | 187 | 33,431 |
| 550 gal | 187 | 33,431 |
| 1,000 gal | 187 | 33,431 |
| 1,500 gal | 187 | 33,431 |
| 2,500 gal | 187 | 33,431 |
| 5,000 gal | 187 | 33,431 |
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