Schenectady, NY rainwater: 32,333 gallons off a roof
How much rain a roof in Schenectady, NY collects
32,333gallons a year
That is a 1,500 sq ft asphalt roof under Schenectady, NY's normal 40.7 inches of rain, about 795 gallons for every inch that falls.
In Schenectady, 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 Albany Ap station (7.3 mi away). Schenectady, NY ranks 78th wettest of the 90 cities covered in New York.
Month by month in Schenectady
| Month | Rain (in) | Off the roof (gal) | Garden shortfall (gal) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 2.60 | 2,066 | |
| Feb | 2.28 | 1,812 | |
| Mar | 3.09 | 2,456 | |
| Apr | 3.11 | 2,472 | 155 |
| May | 3.41 | 2,710 | 117 |
| Jun | 4.05 | 3,219 | 37 |
| Jul | 4.55 | 3,616 | |
| Aug | 3.76 | 2,988 | 74 |
| Sep | 3.73 | 2,965 | 77 |
| Oct | 3.85 | 3,060 | 62 |
| Nov | 2.99 | 2,376 | |
| Dec | 3.26 | 2,591 |
Jul is the wettest month (4.55 in, 3,616 gal off the roof); Feb the driest (2.28 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 Schenectady
Best fit: one 55-gallon barrel, which delivers about 402 gallons to the garden in a normal year (77.0% 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 Schenectady's roof water will pass straight through it.
| Tank | Water used (gal/yr) | Spills over (gal/yr) |
|---|---|---|
| 55 gal | 402 | 30,716 |
| 110 gal | 402 | 30,716 |
| 165 gal | 402 | 30,716 |
| 275 gal | 402 | 30,716 |
| 550 gal | 402 | 30,716 |
| 1,000 gal | 402 | 30,716 |
| 1,500 gal | 402 | 30,716 |
| 2,500 gal | 402 | 30,716 |
| 5,000 gal | 402 | 30,716 |
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