Lowell, MA rainwater: 38,556 gallons off a roof
Rainwater from a roof in Lowell, MA
38,556gallons a year
That is a 1,500 sq ft asphalt roof under Lowell, MA's normal 48.5 inches of rain, about 795 gallons for every inch that falls.
In Lowell, MA 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 Lowell station (2.2 mi away). Lowell, MA ranks 40th wettest of the 58 cities covered in Massachusetts.
Month by month in Lowell
| Month | Rain (in) | Off the roof (gal) | Garden shortfall (gal) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 3.61 | 2,869 | |
| Feb | 3.20 | 2,543 | |
| Mar | 4.32 | 3,434 | |
| Apr | 4.06 | 3,227 | 36 |
| May | 3.81 | 3,028 | 67 |
| Jun | 4.37 | 3,473 | |
| Jul | 3.86 | 3,068 | 61 |
| Aug | 4.00 | 3,179 | 44 |
| Sep | 3.89 | 3,092 | 57 |
| Oct | 5.00 | 3,974 | |
| Nov | 3.85 | 3,060 | |
| Dec | 4.54 | 3,608 |
Oct is the wettest month (5.00 in, 3,974 gal off the roof); Feb the driest (3.20 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 Lowell
Best fit: one 55-gallon barrel, which delivers about 203 gallons to the garden in a normal year (76.4% 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 Lowell's roof water will pass straight through it.
| Tank | Water used (gal/yr) | Spills over (gal/yr) |
|---|---|---|
| 55 gal | 203 | 37,003 |
| 110 gal | 203 | 37,003 |
| 165 gal | 203 | 37,003 |
| 275 gal | 203 | 37,003 |
| 550 gal | 203 | 37,003 |
| 1,000 gal | 203 | 37,003 |
| 1,500 gal | 203 | 37,003 |
| 2,500 gal | 203 | 37,003 |
| 5,000 gal | 203 | 37,003 |
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 Massachusetts?
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