Fairhope, AL rainwater: 55,088 gallons off a roof
Fairhope, AL: gallons off the roof each year
55,088gallons a year
That is a 1,500 sq ft asphalt roof under Fairhope, AL's normal 69.3 inches of rain, about 795 gallons for every inch that falls.
Fairhope, AL gets enough rain in the growing season that a 200 sq ft garden rarely needs topping up, so a tank here is about saving the occasional dry spell, not a summer of watering.
Rainfall: NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, the Fairhope 2 Ne station (1.8 mi away). Fairhope, AL ranks 2nd wettest of the 66 cities covered in Alabama.
Month by month in Fairhope
| Month | Rain (in) | Off the roof (gal) | Garden shortfall (gal) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 5.48 | 4,356 | |
| Feb | 4.65 | 3,696 | |
| Mar | 5.06 | 4,022 | |
| Apr | 5.51 | 4,379 | |
| May | 4.93 | 3,918 | |
| Jun | 6.78 | 5,389 | |
| Jul | 9.03 | 7,177 | |
| Aug | 7.16 | 5,691 | |
| Sep | 6.60 | 5,246 | |
| Oct | 4.38 | 3,481 | |
| Nov | 4.57 | 3,632 | |
| Dec | 5.16 | 4,101 |
Jul is the wettest month (9.03 in, 7,177 gal off the roof); Oct the driest (4.38 in). Garden shortfall is what a 200 sq ft vegetable bed needs beyond the rain that lands on it, April to October.
Which tank size is worth it in Fairhope
Best fit: a 5,000-gallon cistern, which delivers about 0 gallons to the garden in a normal year.
If you set one up, a single 55-gallon barrel is plenty here; spend the money on a first-flush diverter and a screen rather than more storage.
| Tank | Water used (gal/yr) | Spills over (gal/yr) |
|---|---|---|
| 55 gal | 0 | 53,843 |
| 110 gal | 0 | 53,843 |
| 165 gal | 0 | 53,843 |
| 275 gal | 0 | 53,843 |
| 550 gal | 0 | 53,843 |
| 1,000 gal | 0 | 53,843 |
| 1,500 gal | 0 | 53,843 |
| 2,500 gal | 0 | 53,843 |
| 5,000 gal | 0 | 53,843 |
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 Alabama?
No rainwater harvesting regulations
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