Lake Charles, LA rainwater: 51,758 gallons off a roof
Rainwater from a roof in Lake Charles, LA
51,758gallons a year
That is a 1,500 sq ft asphalt roof under Lake Charles, LA's normal 65.1 inches of rain, about 795 gallons for every inch that falls.
Lake Charles, LA gets enough rain in the growing season that a 200 sq ft garden rarely needs topping up, so a tank here is about saving the occasional dry spell, not a summer of watering.
Rainfall: NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, the Lake Charles Port station (2.5 mi away). Lake Charles, LA ranks 11th wettest of the 35 cities covered in Louisiana.
Month by month in Lake Charles
| Month | Rain (in) | Off the roof (gal) | Garden shortfall (gal) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 6.05 | 4,809 | |
| Feb | 4.46 | 3,545 | |
| Mar | 3.82 | 3,036 | |
| Apr | 4.86 | 3,863 | |
| May | 5.45 | 4,332 | |
| Jun | 7.45 | 5,921 | |
| Jul | 6.67 | 5,301 | |
| Aug | 6.27 | 4,983 | |
| Sep | 5.50 | 4,371 | |
| Oct | 4.85 | 3,855 | |
| Nov | 4.65 | 3,696 | |
| Dec | 5.09 | 4,046 |
Jun is the wettest month (7.45 in, 5,921 gal off the roof); Mar the driest (3.82 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 Lake Charles
Best fit: a 5,000-gallon cistern, which delivers about 0 gallons to the garden in a normal year.
If you set one up, a single 55-gallon barrel is plenty here; spend the money on a first-flush diverter and a screen rather than more storage.
| Tank | Water used (gal/yr) | Spills over (gal/yr) |
|---|---|---|
| 55 gal | 0 | 50,558 |
| 110 gal | 0 | 50,558 |
| 165 gal | 0 | 50,558 |
| 275 gal | 0 | 50,558 |
| 550 gal | 0 | 50,558 |
| 1,000 gal | 0 | 50,558 |
| 1,500 gal | 0 | 50,558 |
| 2,500 gal | 0 | 50,558 |
| 5,000 gal | 0 | 50,558 |
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 Louisiana?
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