Buford, GA rainwater: 46,210 gallons off a roof
Rainwater from a roof in Buford, GA
46,210gallons a year
That is a 1,500 sq ft asphalt roof under Buford, GA's normal 58.1 inches of rain, about 795 gallons for every inch that falls.
In Buford, GA 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 Buford 2.8 Sse station (2.7 mi away). Buford, GA ranks 2nd wettest of the 101 cities covered in Georgia.
Month by month in Buford
| Month | Rain (in) | Off the roof (gal) | Garden shortfall (gal) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 5.46 | 4,340 | |
| Feb | 4.96 | 3,942 | |
| Mar | 4.71 | 3,744 | |
| Apr | 3.92 | 3,116 | 54 |
| May | 3.98 | 3,163 | 46 |
| Jun | 5.46 | 4,340 | |
| Jul | 6.19 | 4,920 | |
| Aug | 5.67 | 4,507 | |
| Sep | 4.17 | 3,314 | 22 |
| Oct | 3.90 | 3,100 | 56 |
| Nov | 4.29 | 3,410 | |
| Dec | 5.43 | 4,316 |
Jul is the wettest month (6.19 in, 4,920 gal off the roof); Oct the driest (3.90 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 Buford?
Best fit: one 55-gallon barrel, which delivers about 141 gallons to the garden in a normal year (79.1% 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 Buford's roof water will pass straight through it.
| Tank | Water used (gal/yr) | Spills over (gal/yr) |
|---|---|---|
| 55 gal | 141 | 44,779 |
| 110 gal | 141 | 44,779 |
| 165 gal | 141 | 44,779 |
| 275 gal | 141 | 44,779 |
| 550 gal | 141 | 44,779 |
| 1,000 gal | 141 | 44,779 |
| 1,500 gal | 141 | 44,779 |
| 2,500 gal | 141 | 44,779 |
| 5,000 gal | 141 | 44,779 |
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 Georgia?
Legal. Outdoor irrigation use is unrestricted; indoor non-potable systems must follow Appendix I 'Rainwater Recycling Systems' of the Georgia amendments to the state plumbing code. No state storage cap; potable use depends on local rules.
Checked against the current source on 2026-11-06. Source