Lancaster, NY rainwater: 32,635 gallons off a roof
How much rain a roof in Lancaster, NY collects
32,635gallons a year
That is a 1,500 sq ft asphalt roof under Lancaster, NY's normal 41.1 inches of rain, about 795 gallons for every inch that falls.
In Lancaster, 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 Cheektowaga 2.7 Ne station (3.8 mi away). Lancaster, NY ranks 74th wettest of the 90 cities covered in New York.
Month by month in Lancaster
| Month | Rain (in) | Off the roof (gal) | Garden shortfall (gal) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 3.28 | 2,607 | |
| Feb | 2.42 | 1,923 | |
| Mar | 2.96 | 2,353 | |
| Apr | 3.31 | 2,631 | 130 |
| May | 3.50 | 2,782 | 106 |
| Jun | 3.85 | 3,060 | 62 |
| Jul | 3.23 | 2,567 | 140 |
| Aug | 3.12 | 2,480 | 153 |
| Sep | 4.16 | 3,306 | 24 |
| Oct | 4.21 | 3,346 | 17 |
| Nov | 3.22 | 2,559 | |
| Dec | 3.80 | 3,020 |
Oct is the wettest month (4.21 in, 3,346 gal off the roof); Feb the driest (2.42 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 Lancaster?
Best fit: one 55-gallon barrel, which delivers about 486 gallons to the garden in a normal year (76.9% 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 Lancaster's roof water will pass straight through it.
| Tank | Water used (gal/yr) | Spills over (gal/yr) |
|---|---|---|
| 55 gal | 486 | 30,738 |
| 110 gal | 486 | 30,738 |
| 165 gal | 486 | 30,738 |
| 275 gal | 486 | 30,738 |
| 550 gal | 486 | 30,738 |
| 1,000 gal | 486 | 30,738 |
| 1,500 gal | 486 | 30,738 |
| 2,500 gal | 486 | 30,738 |
| 5,000 gal | 486 | 30,738 |
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