Elmira, NY rainwater: 29,750 gallons off a roof
Elmira, NY: gallons off the roof each year
29,750gallons a year
That is a 1,500 sq ft asphalt roof under Elmira, NY's normal 37.4 inches of rain, about 795 gallons for every inch that falls.
In Elmira, 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 Elmira 1.2 Wnw station (1.2 mi away). Elmira, NY ranks 83rd wettest of the 90 cities covered in New York.
Month by month in Elmira
| Month | Rain (in) | Off the roof (gal) | Garden shortfall (gal) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 2.21 | 1,757 | |
| Feb | 1.92 | 1,526 | |
| Mar | 2.69 | 2,138 | |
| Apr | 3.21 | 2,551 | 142 |
| May | 3.19 | 2,535 | 145 |
| Jun | 4.10 | 3,259 | 31 |
| Jul | 3.99 | 3,171 | 45 |
| Aug | 3.53 | 2,806 | 102 |
| Sep | 4.06 | 3,227 | 36 |
| Oct | 3.44 | 2,734 | 113 |
| Nov | 2.68 | 2,130 | |
| Dec | 2.41 | 1,915 |
Jun is the wettest month (4.10 in, 3,259 gal off the roof); Feb the driest (1.92 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 Elmira
Best fit: one 55-gallon barrel, which delivers about 466 gallons to the garden in a normal year (75.8% 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 Elmira's roof water will pass straight through it.
| Tank | Water used (gal/yr) | Spills over (gal/yr) |
|---|---|---|
| 55 gal | 466 | 28,129 |
| 110 gal | 466 | 28,129 |
| 165 gal | 466 | 28,129 |
| 275 gal | 466 | 28,129 |
| 550 gal | 466 | 28,129 |
| 1,000 gal | 466 | 28,129 |
| 1,500 gal | 466 | 28,129 |
| 2,500 gal | 466 | 28,129 |
| 5,000 gal | 466 | 28,129 |
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