Jamestown, NY rainwater: 36,505 gallons off a roof
Jamestown, NY: gallons off the roof each year
36,505gallons a year
That is a 1,500 sq ft asphalt roof under Jamestown, NY's normal 45.9 inches of rain, about 795 gallons for every inch that falls.
In Jamestown, 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 Jamestown 4 Ene station (4.0 mi away). Jamestown, NY ranks 50th wettest of the 90 cities covered in New York.
Month by month in Jamestown
| Month | Rain (in) | Off the roof (gal) | Garden shortfall (gal) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 3.81 | 3,028 | |
| Feb | 2.70 | 2,146 | |
| Mar | 3.16 | 2,512 | |
| Apr | 3.91 | 3,108 | 55 |
| May | 3.94 | 3,132 | 51 |
| Jun | 4.36 | 3,465 | |
| Jul | 4.55 | 3,616 | |
| Aug | 3.59 | 2,853 | 95 |
| Sep | 4.19 | 3,330 | 20 |
| Oct | 4.11 | 3,267 | 30 |
| Nov | 3.69 | 2,933 | |
| Dec | 3.92 | 3,116 |
Jul is the wettest month (4.55 in, 3,616 gal off the roof); Feb the driest (2.70 in). Garden shortfall is what a 200 sq ft vegetable bed needs beyond the rain that lands on it, April to October.
What size rain barrel for Jamestown
Best fit: one 55-gallon barrel, which delivers about 186 gallons to the garden in a normal year (74.2% 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 Jamestown's roof water will pass straight through it.
| Tank | Water used (gal/yr) | Spills over (gal/yr) |
|---|---|---|
| 55 gal | 186 | 34,775 |
| 110 gal | 186 | 34,775 |
| 165 gal | 186 | 34,775 |
| 275 gal | 186 | 34,775 |
| 550 gal | 186 | 34,775 |
| 1,000 gal | 186 | 34,775 |
| 1,500 gal | 186 | 34,775 |
| 2,500 gal | 186 | 34,775 |
| 5,000 gal | 186 | 34,775 |
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