Lafayette, IN rainwater: 33,104 gallons off a roof
Lafayette, IN: gallons off the roof each year
33,104gallons a year
That is a 1,500 sq ft asphalt roof under Lafayette, IN's normal 41.7 inches of rain, about 795 gallons for every inch that falls.
In Lafayette, 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 Lafayette 2.2 S station (1.4 mi away). Lafayette, IN ranks 50th wettest of the 88 cities covered in Indiana.
Month by month in Lafayette
| Month | Rain (in) | Off the roof (gal) | Garden shortfall (gal) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 2.57 | 2,043 | |
| Feb | 2.29 | 1,820 | |
| Mar | 2.82 | 2,241 | |
| Apr | 3.95 | 3,139 | 50 |
| May | 4.44 | 3,529 | |
| Jun | 4.97 | 3,950 | |
| Jul | 4.71 | 3,744 | |
| Aug | 3.56 | 2,830 | 98 |
| Sep | 3.10 | 2,464 | 156 |
| Oct | 3.20 | 2,543 | 143 |
| Nov | 3.32 | 2,639 | |
| Dec | 2.72 | 2,162 |
Jun is the wettest month (4.97 in, 3,950 gal off the roof); Feb the driest (2.29 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 Lafayette
Best fit: one 55-gallon barrel, which delivers about 363 gallons to the garden in a normal year (81.1% 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 Lafayette's roof water will pass straight through it.
| Tank | Water used (gal/yr) | Spills over (gal/yr) |
|---|---|---|
| 55 gal | 363 | 31,645 |
| 110 gal | 363 | 31,645 |
| 165 gal | 363 | 31,645 |
| 275 gal | 363 | 31,645 |
| 550 gal | 363 | 31,645 |
| 1,000 gal | 363 | 31,645 |
| 1,500 gal | 363 | 31,645 |
| 2,500 gal | 363 | 31,645 |
| 5,000 gal | 363 | 31,645 |
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