Helena, MT rainwater: 11,469 gallons off a roof
How much rain a roof in Helena, MT collects
11,469gallons a year
That is a 1,500 sq ft asphalt roof under Helena, MT's normal 14.4 inches of rain, about 795 gallons for every inch that falls.
In Helena, MT 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 Helena 2.0 Nnw station (2.1 mi away). Helena, MT ranks 5th wettest of the 8 cities covered in Montana.
Month by month in Helena
| Month | Rain (in) | Off the roof (gal) | Garden shortfall (gal) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 0.46 | 366 | |
| Feb | 0.66 | 525 | |
| Mar | 0.69 | 548 | |
| Apr | 1.25 | 994 | 386 |
| May | 2.47 | 1,963 | 234 |
| Jun | 2.71 | 2,154 | 204 |
| Jul | 1.25 | 994 | 386 |
| Aug | 1.35 | 1,073 | 374 |
| Sep | 1.33 | 1,057 | 377 |
| Oct | 0.96 | 763 | 423 |
| Nov | 0.68 | 540 | |
| Dec | 0.62 | 493 |
Jun is the wettest month (2.71 in, 2,154 gal off the roof); Jan the driest (0.46 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 Helena?
Best fit: 2 linked 55-gallon barrels, which delivers about 2,033 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 Helena's roof water will pass straight through it.
| Tank | Water used (gal/yr) | Spills over (gal/yr) |
|---|---|---|
| 55 gal | 1,297 | 9,647 |
| 110 gal | 2,033 | 8,911 |
| 165 gal | 2,103 | 8,841 |
| 275 gal | 2,103 | 8,841 |
| 550 gal | 2,103 | 8,841 |
| 1,000 gal | 2,103 | 8,841 |
| 1,500 gal | 2,103 | 8,841 |
| 2,500 gal | 2,103 | 8,841 |
| 5,000 gal | 2,103 | 8,841 |
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 Montana?
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