Plattsburgh, NY rainwater: 28,613 gallons off a roof
Plattsburgh, NY: gallons off the roof each year
28,613gallons a year
That is a 1,500 sq ft asphalt roof under Plattsburgh, NY's normal 36.0 inches of rain, about 795 gallons for every inch that falls.
In Plattsburgh, 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 Plattsburgh 1 S station (0.1 mi away). Plattsburgh, NY ranks 85th wettest of the 90 cities covered in New York.
Month by month in Plattsburgh
| Month | Rain (in) | Off the roof (gal) | Garden shortfall (gal) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 1.81 | 1,439 | |
| Feb | 2.24 | 1,780 | |
| Mar | 2.37 | 1,884 | |
| Apr | 2.81 | 2,233 | 192 |
| May | 3.00 | 2,384 | 168 |
| Jun | 4.12 | 3,275 | 29 |
| Jul | 3.74 | 2,973 | 76 |
| Aug | 3.70 | 2,941 | 81 |
| Sep | 3.34 | 2,655 | 126 |
| Oct | 3.35 | 2,663 | 125 |
| Nov | 2.83 | 2,249 | |
| Dec | 2.69 | 2,138 |
Jun is the wettest month (4.12 in, 3,275 gal off the roof); Jan the driest (1.81 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 Plattsburgh
Best fit: one 55-gallon barrel, which delivers about 611 gallons to the garden in a normal year (76.7% 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 Plattsburgh's roof water will pass straight through it.
| Tank | Water used (gal/yr) | Spills over (gal/yr) |
|---|---|---|
| 55 gal | 611 | 26,937 |
| 110 gal | 611 | 26,937 |
| 165 gal | 611 | 26,937 |
| 275 gal | 611 | 26,937 |
| 550 gal | 611 | 26,937 |
| 1,000 gal | 611 | 26,937 |
| 1,500 gal | 611 | 26,937 |
| 2,500 gal | 611 | 26,937 |
| 5,000 gal | 611 | 26,937 |
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