Lone Tree, CO rainwater: 15,666 gallons off a roof
How much rain a roof in Lone Tree, CO collects
15,666gallons a year
That is a 1,500 sq ft asphalt roof under Lone Tree, CO's normal 19.7 inches of rain, about 795 gallons for every inch that falls.
In Lone Tree, CO 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 Littleton 7.7 Ese station (2.0 mi away). Lone Tree, CO ranks 3rd wettest of the 53 cities covered in Colorado.
Month by month in Lone Tree
| Month | Rain (in) | Off the roof (gal) | Garden shortfall (gal) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 0.71 | 564 | |
| Feb | 0.78 | 620 | |
| Mar | 1.84 | 1,462 | |
| Apr | 2.38 | 1,892 | 246 |
| May | 2.57 | 2,043 | 222 |
| Jun | 2.04 | 1,621 | 288 |
| Jul | 2.28 | 1,812 | 258 |
| Aug | 2.45 | 1,947 | 237 |
| Sep | 1.53 | 1,216 | 352 |
| Oct | 1.38 | 1,097 | 370 |
| Nov | 1.06 | 842 | |
| Dec | 0.69 | 548 |
May is the wettest month (2.57 in, 2,043 gal off the roof); Dec the driest (0.69 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 Lone Tree?
Best fit: 2 linked 55-gallon barrels, which delivers about 1,671 gallons to the garden in a normal year (84.7% 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 Lone Tree's roof water will pass straight through it.
| Tank | Water used (gal/yr) | Spills over (gal/yr) |
|---|---|---|
| 55 gal | 1,403 | 13,543 |
| 110 gal | 1,671 | 13,275 |
| 165 gal (over cap) | 1,671 | 13,275 |
| 275 gal (over cap) | 1,671 | 13,275 |
| 550 gal (over cap) | 1,671 | 13,275 |
| 1,000 gal (over cap) | 1,671 | 13,275 |
| 1,500 gal (over cap) | 1,671 | 13,275 |
| 2,500 gal (over cap) | 1,671 | 13,275 |
| 5,000 gal (over cap) | 1,671 | 13,275 |
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 Colorado?
Most households may use rain barrels: a maximum of two rain barrels with a combined storage of 110 gallons or less per household, rooftop runoff only, used outdoors on the same property (HB16-1005). Larger rooftop collection only for qualifying well-permit holders (SB09-080) or pilot projects (HB09-1129).
Checked against the current source on 2026-11-06. Source