Binghamton, NY rainwater: 34,240 gallons off a roof
Binghamton, NY: gallons off the roof each year
34,240gallons a year
That is a 1,500 sq ft asphalt roof under Binghamton, NY's normal 43.1 inches of rain, about 795 gallons for every inch that falls.
In Binghamton, 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 Binghamton 1.3 Ene station (1.3 mi away). Binghamton, NY ranks 64th wettest of the 90 cities covered in New York.
Month by month in Binghamton
| Month | Rain (in) | Off the roof (gal) | Garden shortfall (gal) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 2.58 | 2,051 | |
| Feb | 2.26 | 1,796 | |
| Mar | 3.14 | 2,496 | |
| Apr | 3.64 | 2,893 | 89 |
| May | 3.81 | 3,028 | 67 |
| Jun | 4.51 | 3,585 | |
| Jul | 4.37 | 3,473 | |
| Aug | 4.32 | 3,434 | 4 |
| Sep | 4.21 | 3,346 | 17 |
| Oct | 3.98 | 3,163 | 46 |
| Nov | 3.30 | 2,623 | |
| Dec | 2.96 | 2,353 |
Jun is the wettest month (4.51 in, 3,585 gal off the roof); Feb the driest (2.26 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 Binghamton
Best fit: one 55-gallon barrel, which delivers about 167 gallons to the garden in a normal year (74.8% 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 Binghamton's roof water will pass straight through it.
| Tank | Water used (gal/yr) | Spills over (gal/yr) |
|---|---|---|
| 55 gal | 167 | 32,798 |
| 110 gal | 167 | 32,798 |
| 165 gal | 167 | 32,798 |
| 275 gal | 167 | 32,798 |
| 550 gal | 167 | 32,798 |
| 1,000 gal | 167 | 32,798 |
| 1,500 gal | 167 | 32,798 |
| 2,500 gal | 167 | 32,798 |
| 5,000 gal | 167 | 32,798 |
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