Goshen, IN rainwater: 31,506 gallons off a roof
Goshen, IN: gallons off the roof each year
31,506gallons a year
That is a 1,500 sq ft asphalt roof under Goshen, IN's normal 39.6 inches of rain, about 795 gallons for every inch that falls.
In Goshen, 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 Goshen 1.4 Sse station (1.1 mi away). Goshen, IN ranks 80th wettest of the 88 cities covered in Indiana.
Month by month in Goshen
| Month | Rain (in) | Off the roof (gal) | Garden shortfall (gal) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 2.52 | 2,003 | |
| Feb | 2.32 | 1,844 | |
| Mar | 2.31 | 1,836 | |
| Apr | 3.68 | 2,925 | 84 |
| May | 4.34 | 3,449 | 1 |
| Jun | 4.33 | 3,442 | 2 |
| Jul | 3.94 | 3,132 | 51 |
| Aug | 4.26 | 3,386 | 11 |
| Sep | 3.24 | 2,575 | 138 |
| Oct | 3.36 | 2,671 | 123 |
| Nov | 2.96 | 2,353 | |
| Dec | 2.38 | 1,892 |
May is the wettest month (4.34 in, 3,449 gal off the roof); Mar the driest (2.31 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 Goshen
Best fit: one 55-gallon barrel, which delivers about 319 gallons to the garden in a normal year (77.5% of its need).
If you buy one, a 55-gallon barrel with a downspout diverter is the whole job. Check that the overflow points away from your foundation, because most of Goshen's roof water will pass straight through it.
| Tank | Water used (gal/yr) | Spills over (gal/yr) |
|---|---|---|
| 55 gal | 319 | 30,002 |
| 110 gal | 319 | 30,002 |
| 165 gal | 319 | 30,002 |
| 275 gal | 319 | 30,002 |
| 550 gal | 319 | 30,002 |
| 1,000 gal | 319 | 30,002 |
| 1,500 gal | 319 | 30,002 |
| 2,500 gal | 319 | 30,002 |
| 5,000 gal | 319 | 30,002 |
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