Rifle, CO rainwater: 10,022 gallons off a roof
Rifle, CO: gallons off the roof each year
10,022gallons a year
That is a 1,500 sq ft asphalt roof under Rifle, CO's normal 12.6 inches of rain, about 795 gallons for every inch that falls.
In Rifle, 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 Rifle 0.9 Ne station (0.9 mi away). Rifle, CO ranks 50th wettest of the 53 cities covered in Colorado.
Month by month in Rifle
| Month | Rain (in) | Off the roof (gal) | Garden shortfall (gal) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 0.86 | 684 | |
| Feb | 0.82 | 652 | |
| Mar | 1.41 | 1,121 | |
| Apr | 0.92 | 731 | 428 |
| May | 1.21 | 962 | 391 |
| Jun | 0.71 | 564 | 454 |
| Jul | 0.96 | 763 | 423 |
| Aug | 0.99 | 787 | 419 |
| Sep | 1.47 | 1,168 | 359 |
| Oct | 1.56 | 1,240 | 348 |
| Nov | 0.89 | 707 | |
| Dec | 0.81 | 644 |
Oct is the wettest month (1.56 in, 1,240 gal off the roof); Jun the driest (0.71 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 Rifle
Best fit: 2 linked 55-gallon barrels, which delivers about 2,276 gallons to the garden in a normal year (80.7% 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 Rifle's roof water will pass straight through it.
| Tank | Water used (gal/yr) | Spills over (gal/yr) |
|---|---|---|
| 55 gal | 1,464 | 7,959 |
| 110 gal | 2,276 | 7,146 |
| 165 gal (over cap) | 2,439 | 6,984 |
| 275 gal (over cap) | 2,485 | 6,937 |
| 550 gal (over cap) | 2,485 | 6,937 |
| 1,000 gal (over cap) | 2,485 | 6,937 |
| 1,500 gal (over cap) | 2,485 | 6,937 |
| 2,500 gal (over cap) | 2,485 | 6,937 |
| 5,000 gal (over cap) | 2,485 | 6,937 |
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 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