Syracuse, NY rainwater: 34,455 gallons off a roof
Rainwater from a roof in Syracuse, NY
34,455gallons a year
That is a 1,500 sq ft asphalt roof under Syracuse, NY's normal 43.4 inches of rain, about 795 gallons for every inch that falls.
In Syracuse, 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 De Witt 1.4 Wsw station (2.3 mi away). Syracuse, NY ranks 61st wettest of the 90 cities covered in New York.
Month by month in Syracuse
| Month | Rain (in) | Off the roof (gal) | Garden shortfall (gal) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 2.98 | 2,369 | |
| Feb | 2.77 | 2,202 | |
| Mar | 3.23 | 2,567 | |
| Apr | 3.54 | 2,814 | 101 |
| May | 3.66 | 2,909 | 86 |
| Jun | 4.19 | 3,330 | 20 |
| Jul | 4.20 | 3,338 | 19 |
| Aug | 4.12 | 3,275 | 29 |
| Sep | 3.77 | 2,996 | 72 |
| Oct | 3.96 | 3,147 | 49 |
| Nov | 3.38 | 2,686 | |
| Dec | 3.55 | 2,822 |
Jul is the wettest month (4.20 in, 3,338 gal off the roof); Feb the driest (2.77 in). Garden shortfall is what a 200 sq ft vegetable bed needs beyond the rain that lands on it, April to October.
What size rain barrel for Syracuse
Best fit: one 55-gallon barrel, which delivers about 284 gallons to the garden in a normal year (75.7% 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 Syracuse's roof water will pass straight through it.
| Tank | Water used (gal/yr) | Spills over (gal/yr) |
|---|---|---|
| 55 gal | 284 | 32,836 |
| 110 gal | 284 | 32,836 |
| 165 gal | 284 | 32,836 |
| 275 gal | 284 | 32,836 |
| 550 gal | 284 | 32,836 |
| 1,000 gal | 284 | 32,836 |
| 1,500 gal | 284 | 32,836 |
| 2,500 gal | 284 | 32,836 |
| 5,000 gal | 284 | 32,836 |
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