South Bend, IN rainwater: 32,484 gallons off a roof
South Bend, IN: gallons off the roof each year
32,484gallons a year
That is a 1,500 sq ft asphalt roof under South Bend, IN's normal 40.9 inches of rain, about 795 gallons for every inch that falls.
In South Bend, 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 S Bend station (2.0 mi away). South Bend, IN ranks 60th wettest of the 88 cities covered in Indiana.
Month by month in South Bend
| Month | Rain (in) | Off the roof (gal) | Garden shortfall (gal) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 2.71 | 2,154 | |
| Feb | 2.32 | 1,844 | |
| Mar | 2.44 | 1,939 | |
| Apr | 3.59 | 2,853 | 95 |
| May | 4.32 | 3,434 | 4 |
| Jun | 4.23 | 3,362 | 15 |
| Jul | 4.14 | 3,290 | 26 |
| Aug | 4.23 | 3,362 | 15 |
| Sep | 3.67 | 2,917 | 85 |
| Oct | 3.97 | 3,155 | 47 |
| Nov | 2.86 | 2,273 | |
| Dec | 2.39 | 1,900 |
May is the wettest month (4.32 in, 3,434 gal off the roof); Feb the driest (2.32 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 South Bend
Best fit: one 55-gallon barrel, which delivers about 217 gallons to the garden in a normal year (75.7% 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 South Bend's roof water will pass straight through it.
| Tank | Water used (gal/yr) | Spills over (gal/yr) |
|---|---|---|
| 55 gal | 217 | 30,962 |
| 110 gal | 217 | 30,962 |
| 165 gal | 217 | 30,962 |
| 275 gal | 217 | 30,962 |
| 550 gal | 217 | 30,962 |
| 1,000 gal | 217 | 30,962 |
| 1,500 gal | 217 | 30,962 |
| 2,500 gal | 217 | 30,962 |
| 5,000 gal | 217 | 30,962 |
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