Utica, NY rainwater: 38,190 gallons off a roof
Utica, NY: gallons off the roof each year
38,190gallons a year
That is a 1,500 sq ft asphalt roof under Utica, NY's normal 48.1 inches of rain, about 795 gallons for every inch that falls.
In Utica, 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 New Hartford 0.8 S station (4.0 mi away). Utica, NY ranks 34th wettest of the 90 cities covered in New York.
Month by month in Utica
| Month | Rain (in) | Off the roof (gal) | Garden shortfall (gal) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 3.13 | 2,488 | |
| Feb | 3.12 | 2,480 | |
| Mar | 3.44 | 2,734 | |
| Apr | 3.70 | 2,941 | 81 |
| May | 4.01 | 3,187 | 42 |
| Jun | 4.84 | 3,847 | |
| Jul | 5.14 | 4,085 | |
| Aug | 4.50 | 3,577 | |
| Sep | 4.01 | 3,187 | 42 |
| Oct | 4.78 | 3,799 | |
| Nov | 3.80 | 3,020 | |
| Dec | 3.58 | 2,845 |
Jul is the wettest month (5.14 in, 4,085 gal off the roof); Feb the driest (3.12 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 Utica
Best fit: one 55-gallon barrel, which delivers about 121 gallons to the garden in a normal year (73.0% 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 Utica's roof water will pass straight through it.
| Tank | Water used (gal/yr) | Spills over (gal/yr) |
|---|---|---|
| 55 gal | 121 | 36,645 |
| 110 gal | 121 | 36,645 |
| 165 gal | 121 | 36,645 |
| 275 gal | 121 | 36,645 |
| 550 gal | 121 | 36,645 |
| 1,000 gal | 121 | 36,645 |
| 1,500 gal | 121 | 36,645 |
| 2,500 gal | 121 | 36,645 |
| 5,000 gal | 121 | 36,645 |
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