Elkhart, IN rainwater: 31,951 gallons off a roof
Elkhart, IN: gallons off the roof each year
31,951gallons a year
That is a 1,500 sq ft asphalt roof under Elkhart, IN's normal 40.2 inches of rain, about 795 gallons for every inch that falls.
In Elkhart, 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 Elkhart Pub Wks & Ut station (2.3 mi away). Elkhart, IN ranks 77th wettest of the 88 cities covered in Indiana.
Month by month in Elkhart
| Month | Rain (in) | Off the roof (gal) | Garden shortfall (gal) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 2.84 | 2,257 | |
| Feb | 2.34 | 1,860 | |
| Mar | 2.43 | 1,931 | |
| Apr | 3.75 | 2,981 | 75 |
| May | 4.24 | 3,370 | 14 |
| Jun | 4.31 | 3,426 | 5 |
| Jul | 3.73 | 2,965 | 77 |
| Aug | 4.01 | 3,187 | 42 |
| Sep | 3.49 | 2,774 | 107 |
| Oct | 3.49 | 2,774 | 107 |
| Nov | 2.90 | 2,305 | |
| Dec | 2.67 | 2,122 |
Jun is the wettest month (4.31 in, 3,426 gal off the roof); Feb the driest (2.34 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 Elkhart
Best fit: one 55-gallon barrel, which delivers about 335 gallons to the garden in a normal year (78.3% 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 Elkhart's roof water will pass straight through it.
| Tank | Water used (gal/yr) | Spills over (gal/yr) |
|---|---|---|
| 55 gal | 335 | 30,386 |
| 110 gal | 335 | 30,386 |
| 165 gal | 335 | 30,386 |
| 275 gal | 335 | 30,386 |
| 550 gal | 335 | 30,386 |
| 1,000 gal | 335 | 30,386 |
| 1,500 gal | 335 | 30,386 |
| 2,500 gal | 335 | 30,386 |
| 5,000 gal | 335 | 30,386 |
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