Lake City, FL rainwater: 42,904 gallons off a roof
Rainwater from a roof in Lake City, FL
42,904gallons a year
That is a 1,500 sq ft asphalt roof under Lake City, FL's normal 54.0 inches of rain, about 795 gallons for every inch that falls.
In Lake City, FL 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 Lake City 2 E station (2.9 mi away). Lake City, FL ranks 115th wettest of the 173 cities covered in Florida.
Month by month in Lake City
| Month | Rain (in) | Off the roof (gal) | Garden shortfall (gal) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 4.27 | 3,394 | |
| Feb | 3.23 | 2,567 | |
| Mar | 4.29 | 3,410 | |
| Apr | 3.55 | 2,822 | 100 |
| May | 3.47 | 2,758 | 110 |
| Jun | 7.55 | 6,001 | |
| Jul | 7.16 | 5,691 | |
| Aug | 7.28 | 5,786 | |
| Sep | 5.86 | 4,658 | |
| Oct | 2.50 | 1,987 | 231 |
| Nov | 1.91 | 1,518 | |
| Dec | 2.91 | 2,313 |
Jun is the wettest month (7.55 in, 6,001 gal off the roof); Nov the driest (1.91 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 Lake City?
Best fit: one 55-gallon barrel, which delivers about 380 gallons to the garden in a normal year (86.3% 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 Lake City's roof water will pass straight through it.
| Tank | Water used (gal/yr) | Spills over (gal/yr) |
|---|---|---|
| 55 gal | 380 | 41,399 |
| 110 gal | 380 | 41,399 |
| 165 gal | 380 | 41,399 |
| 275 gal | 380 | 41,399 |
| 550 gal | 380 | 41,399 |
| 1,000 gal | 380 | 41,399 |
| 1,500 gal | 380 | 41,399 |
| 2,500 gal | 380 | 41,399 |
| 5,000 gal | 380 | 41,399 |
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 Florida?
Legal. Florida approves onsite non-potable use of rainwater for landscape irrigation, vehicle washing, filling pools and fountains and, in some local jurisdictions, toilet/urinal flushing (Florida Plumbing Code). No state storage cap or registration for non-potable collection.
Checked against the current source on 2026-11-06. Source