Batavia, NY rainwater: 29,066 gallons off a roof
Batavia, NY: gallons off the roof each year
29,066gallons a year
That is a 1,500 sq ft asphalt roof under Batavia, NY's normal 36.6 inches of rain, about 795 gallons for every inch that falls.
In Batavia, 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 Batavia station (2.2 mi away). Batavia, NY ranks 84th wettest of the 90 cities covered in New York.
Month by month in Batavia
| Month | Rain (in) | Off the roof (gal) | Garden shortfall (gal) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 2.47 | 1,963 | |
| Feb | 1.90 | 1,510 | |
| Mar | 2.43 | 1,931 | |
| Apr | 3.17 | 2,520 | 147 |
| May | 3.23 | 2,567 | 140 |
| Jun | 3.69 | 2,933 | 82 |
| Jul | 3.53 | 2,806 | 102 |
| Aug | 3.25 | 2,583 | 137 |
| Sep | 3.62 | 2,877 | 91 |
| Oct | 3.60 | 2,861 | 94 |
| Nov | 2.92 | 2,321 | |
| Dec | 2.76 | 2,194 |
Jun is the wettest month (3.69 in, 2,933 gal off the roof); Feb the driest (1.90 in). Garden shortfall is what a 200 sq ft vegetable bed needs beyond the rain that lands on it, April to October.
Which tank size is worth it in Batavia
Best fit: one 55-gallon barrel, which delivers about 596 gallons to the garden in a normal year (75.2% 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 Batavia's roof water will pass straight through it.
| Tank | Water used (gal/yr) | Spills over (gal/yr) |
|---|---|---|
| 55 gal | 596 | 27,180 |
| 110 gal | 596 | 27,180 |
| 165 gal | 596 | 27,180 |
| 275 gal | 596 | 27,180 |
| 550 gal | 596 | 27,180 |
| 1,000 gal | 596 | 27,180 |
| 1,500 gal | 596 | 27,180 |
| 2,500 gal | 596 | 27,180 |
| 5,000 gal | 596 | 27,180 |
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