Brighton, CO rainwater: 11,437 gallons off a roof
How much rain a roof in Brighton, CO collects
11,437gallons a year
That is a 1,500 sq ft asphalt roof under Brighton, CO's normal 14.4 inches of rain, about 795 gallons for every inch that falls.
In Brighton, CO 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 Brighton 1.7 Ese station (0.7 mi away). Brighton, CO ranks 42nd wettest of the 53 cities covered in Colorado.
Month by month in Brighton
| Month | Rain (in) | Off the roof (gal) | Garden shortfall (gal) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 0.40 | 318 | |
| Feb | 0.41 | 326 | |
| Mar | 1.14 | 906 | |
| Apr | 1.81 | 1,439 | 317 |
| May | 2.34 | 1,860 | 251 |
| Jun | 1.67 | 1,327 | 334 |
| Jul | 1.67 | 1,327 | 334 |
| Aug | 1.48 | 1,176 | 358 |
| Sep | 1.32 | 1,049 | 378 |
| Oct | 1.01 | 803 | 416 |
| Nov | 0.70 | 556 | |
| Dec | 0.44 | 350 |
May is the wettest month (2.34 in, 1,860 gal off the roof); Jan the driest (0.40 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 Brighton?
Best fit: 2 linked 55-gallon barrels, which delivers about 2,067 gallons to the garden in a normal year (86.6% of its need).
Before you buy, a 55-gallon barrel with a downspout diverter is the whole job. Check that the overflow points away from your foundation, because most of Brighton's roof water will pass straight through it.
| Tank | Water used (gal/yr) | Spills over (gal/yr) |
|---|---|---|
| 55 gal | 1,348 | 9,564 |
| 110 gal | 2,067 | 8,845 |
| 165 gal (over cap) | 2,115 | 8,797 |
| 275 gal (over cap) | 2,115 | 8,797 |
| 550 gal (over cap) | 2,115 | 8,797 |
| 1,000 gal (over cap) | 2,115 | 8,797 |
| 1,500 gal (over cap) | 2,115 | 8,797 |
| 2,500 gal (over cap) | 2,115 | 8,797 |
| 5,000 gal (over cap) | 2,115 | 8,797 |
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 Colorado?
Most households may use rain barrels: a maximum of two rain barrels with a combined storage of 110 gallons or less per household, rooftop runoff only, used outdoors on the same property (HB16-1005). Larger rooftop collection only for qualifying well-permit holders (SB09-080) or pilot projects (HB09-1129).
Checked against the current source on 2026-11-06. Source