Geneva, NY rainwater: 27,508 gallons off a roof
How much rain a roof in Geneva, NY collects
27,508gallons a year
That is a 1,500 sq ft asphalt roof under Geneva, NY's normal 34.6 inches of rain, about 795 gallons for every inch that falls.
In Geneva, 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 Geneva Rsch Farm station (2.6 mi away). Geneva, NY ranks 90th wettest of the 90 cities covered in New York.
Month by month in Geneva
| Month | Rain (in) | Off the roof (gal) | Garden shortfall (gal) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 1.79 | 1,423 | |
| Feb | 1.58 | 1,256 | |
| Mar | 2.40 | 1,908 | |
| Apr | 2.76 | 2,194 | 198 |
| May | 3.27 | 2,599 | 135 |
| Jun | 3.63 | 2,885 | 90 |
| Jul | 3.73 | 2,965 | 77 |
| Aug | 3.49 | 2,774 | 107 |
| Sep | 3.26 | 2,591 | 136 |
| Oct | 3.83 | 3,044 | 65 |
| Nov | 2.55 | 2,027 | |
| Dec | 2.32 | 1,844 |
Oct is the wettest month (3.83 in, 3,044 gal off the roof); Feb the driest (1.58 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 Geneva?
Best fit: one 55-gallon barrel, which delivers about 608 gallons to the garden in a normal year (75.3% 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 Geneva's roof water will pass straight through it.
| Tank | Water used (gal/yr) | Spills over (gal/yr) |
|---|---|---|
| 55 gal | 608 | 25,685 |
| 110 gal | 608 | 25,685 |
| 165 gal | 608 | 25,685 |
| 275 gal | 608 | 25,685 |
| 550 gal | 608 | 25,685 |
| 1,000 gal | 608 | 25,685 |
| 1,500 gal | 608 | 25,685 |
| 2,500 gal | 608 | 25,685 |
| 5,000 gal | 608 | 25,685 |
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