Michigan City, IN rainwater: 33,819 gallons off a roof
Michigan City, IN: gallons off the roof each year
33,819gallons a year
That is a 1,500 sq ft asphalt roof under Michigan City, IN's normal 42.6 inches of rain, about 795 gallons for every inch that falls.
In Michigan City, IN 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 Laporte station (9.8 mi away). Michigan City, IN ranks 43rd wettest of the 88 cities covered in Indiana.
Month by month in Michigan City
| Month | Rain (in) | Off the roof (gal) | Garden shortfall (gal) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 3.01 | 2,392 | |
| Feb | 2.52 | 2,003 | |
| Mar | 2.70 | 2,146 | |
| Apr | 3.77 | 2,996 | 72 |
| May | 4.33 | 3,442 | 2 |
| Jun | 4.38 | 3,481 | |
| Jul | 4.04 | 3,211 | 39 |
| Aug | 4.22 | 3,354 | 16 |
| Sep | 3.38 | 2,686 | 121 |
| Oct | 4.11 | 3,267 | 30 |
| Nov | 3.24 | 2,575 | |
| Dec | 2.85 | 2,265 |
Jun is the wettest month (4.38 in, 3,481 gal off the roof); Feb the driest (2.52 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 Michigan City
Best fit: one 55-gallon barrel, which delivers about 217 gallons to the garden in a normal year (77.4% 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 Michigan City's roof water will pass straight through it.
| Tank | Water used (gal/yr) | Spills over (gal/yr) |
|---|---|---|
| 55 gal | 217 | 32,297 |
| 110 gal | 217 | 32,297 |
| 165 gal | 217 | 32,297 |
| 275 gal | 217 | 32,297 |
| 550 gal | 217 | 32,297 |
| 1,000 gal | 217 | 32,297 |
| 1,500 gal | 217 | 32,297 |
| 2,500 gal | 217 | 32,297 |
| 5,000 gal | 217 | 32,297 |
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 Indiana?
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