Niagara Falls, NY rainwater: 27,588 gallons off a roof
Niagara Falls, NY: gallons off the roof each year
27,588gallons a year
That is a 1,500 sq ft asphalt roof under Niagara Falls, NY's normal 34.7 inches of rain, about 795 gallons for every inch that falls.
In Niagara Falls, 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 Niagara Falls station (2.2 mi away). Niagara Falls, NY ranks 89th wettest of the 90 cities covered in New York.
Month by month in Niagara Falls
| Month | Rain (in) | Off the roof (gal) | Garden shortfall (gal) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 2.59 | 2,059 | |
| Feb | 2.10 | 1,669 | |
| Mar | 2.44 | 1,939 | |
| Apr | 3.10 | 2,464 | 156 |
| May | 3.14 | 2,496 | 151 |
| Jun | 2.99 | 2,376 | 170 |
| Jul | 3.38 | 2,686 | 121 |
| Aug | 2.80 | 2,225 | 193 |
| Sep | 3.25 | 2,583 | 137 |
| Oct | 3.27 | 2,599 | 135 |
| Nov | 2.89 | 2,297 | |
| Dec | 2.76 | 2,194 |
Jul is the wettest month (3.38 in, 2,686 gal off the roof); Feb the driest (2.10 in). Garden shortfall is what a 200 sq ft vegetable bed needs beyond the rain that lands on it, April to October.
Which tank size is worth it in Niagara Falls
Best fit: one 55-gallon barrel, which delivers about 816 gallons to the garden in a normal year (76.8% of its need).
If you set one up, a 55-gallon barrel with a downspout diverter is the whole job. Check that the overflow points away from your foundation, because most of Niagara Falls's roof water will pass straight through it.
| Tank | Water used (gal/yr) | Spills over (gal/yr) |
|---|---|---|
| 55 gal | 816 | 25,482 |
| 110 gal | 816 | 25,482 |
| 165 gal | 816 | 25,482 |
| 275 gal | 816 | 25,482 |
| 550 gal | 816 | 25,482 |
| 1,000 gal | 816 | 25,482 |
| 1,500 gal | 816 | 25,482 |
| 2,500 gal | 816 | 25,482 |
| 5,000 gal | 816 | 25,482 |
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