Chesterton, IN rainwater: 32,078 gallons off a roof
Rainwater from a roof in Chesterton, IN
32,078gallons a year
That is a 1,500 sq ft asphalt roof under Chesterton, IN's normal 40.4 inches of rain, about 795 gallons for every inch that falls.
In Chesterton, IN 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 Porter 0.6 S station (1.9 mi away). Chesterton, IN ranks 69th wettest of the 88 cities covered in Indiana.
Month by month in Chesterton
| Month | Rain (in) | Off the roof (gal) | Garden shortfall (gal) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 2.55 | 2,027 | |
| Feb | 2.28 | 1,812 | |
| Mar | 2.43 | 1,931 | |
| Apr | 3.69 | 2,933 | 82 |
| May | 4.33 | 3,442 | 2 |
| Jun | 4.39 | 3,489 | |
| Jul | 4.28 | 3,402 | 9 |
| Aug | 4.10 | 3,259 | 31 |
| Sep | 3.41 | 2,710 | 117 |
| Oct | 3.94 | 3,132 | 51 |
| Nov | 2.75 | 2,186 | |
| Dec | 2.21 | 1,757 |
Jun is the wettest month (4.39 in, 3,489 gal off the roof); Dec the driest (2.21 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 Chesterton
Best fit: one 55-gallon barrel, which delivers about 229 gallons to the garden in a normal year (78.2% 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 Chesterton's roof water will pass straight through it.
| Tank | Water used (gal/yr) | Spills over (gal/yr) |
|---|---|---|
| 55 gal | 229 | 30,694 |
| 110 gal | 229 | 30,694 |
| 165 gal | 229 | 30,694 |
| 275 gal | 229 | 30,694 |
| 550 gal | 229 | 30,694 |
| 1,000 gal | 229 | 30,694 |
| 1,500 gal | 229 | 30,694 |
| 2,500 gal | 229 | 30,694 |
| 5,000 gal | 229 | 30,694 |
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 Indiana?
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