Fort Morgan, CO rainwater: 11,350 gallons off a roof
Rainwater from a roof in Fort Morgan, CO
11,350gallons a year
That is a 1,500 sq ft asphalt roof under Fort Morgan, CO's normal 14.3 inches of rain, about 795 gallons for every inch that falls.
In Fort Morgan, CO 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 Ft Morgan station (4.3 mi away). Fort Morgan, CO ranks 44th wettest of the 53 cities covered in Colorado.
Month by month in Fort Morgan
| Month | Rain (in) | Off the roof (gal) | Garden shortfall (gal) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 0.25 | 199 | |
| Feb | 0.27 | 215 | |
| Mar | 0.74 | 588 | |
| Apr | 1.46 | 1,160 | 360 |
| May | 2.24 | 1,780 | 263 |
| Jun | 2.16 | 1,717 | 273 |
| Jul | 2.39 | 1,900 | 244 |
| Aug | 1.71 | 1,359 | 329 |
| Sep | 1.14 | 906 | 400 |
| Oct | 1.14 | 906 | 400 |
| Nov | 0.49 | 389 | |
| Dec | 0.29 | 230 |
Jul is the wettest month (2.39 in, 1,900 gal off the roof); Jan the driest (0.25 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 Fort Morgan?
Best fit: 2 linked 55-gallon barrels, which delivers about 1,934 gallons to the garden in a normal year (85.2% 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 Fort Morgan's roof water will pass straight through it.
| Tank | Water used (gal/yr) | Spills over (gal/yr) |
|---|---|---|
| 55 gal | 1,455 | 9,370 |
| 110 gal | 1,934 | 8,891 |
| 165 gal (over cap) | 1,974 | 8,850 |
| 275 gal (over cap) | 1,974 | 8,850 |
| 550 gal (over cap) | 1,974 | 8,850 |
| 1,000 gal (over cap) | 1,974 | 8,850 |
| 1,500 gal (over cap) | 1,974 | 8,850 |
| 2,500 gal (over cap) | 1,974 | 8,850 |
| 5,000 gal (over cap) | 1,974 | 8,850 |
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 Colorado?
Most households may use rain barrels: a maximum of two rain barrels with a combined storage of 110 gallons or less per household, rooftop runoff only, used outdoors on the same property (HB16-1005). Larger rooftop collection only for qualifying well-permit holders (SB09-080) or pilot projects (HB09-1129).
Checked against the current source on 2026-11-06. Source