Woodbury, NY rainwater: 40,909 gallons off a roof
How much rain a roof in Woodbury, NY collects
40,909gallons a year
That is a 1,500 sq ft asphalt roof under Woodbury, NY's normal 51.5 inches of rain, about 795 gallons for every inch that falls.
In Woodbury, 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 West Point station (8.5 mi away). Woodbury, NY ranks 2nd wettest of the 90 cities covered in New York.
Month by month in Woodbury
| Month | Rain (in) | Off the roof (gal) | Garden shortfall (gal) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 3.82 | 3,036 | |
| Feb | 2.95 | 2,345 | |
| Mar | 4.04 | 3,211 | |
| Apr | 4.00 | 3,179 | 44 |
| May | 3.84 | 3,052 | 64 |
| Jun | 4.61 | 3,664 | |
| Jul | 4.57 | 3,632 | |
| Aug | 4.96 | 3,942 | |
| Sep | 4.57 | 3,632 | |
| Oct | 5.29 | 4,205 | |
| Nov | 4.23 | 3,362 | |
| Dec | 4.59 | 3,648 |
Oct is the wettest month (5.29 in, 4,205 gal off the roof); Feb the driest (2.95 in). Garden shortfall is what a 200 sq ft vegetable bed needs beyond the rain that lands on it, April to October.
Barrel or cistern in Woodbury?
Best fit: one 55-gallon barrel, which delivers about 81 gallons to the garden in a normal year (75.5% 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 Woodbury's roof water will pass straight through it.
| Tank | Water used (gal/yr) | Spills over (gal/yr) |
|---|---|---|
| 55 gal | 81 | 39,583 |
| 110 gal | 81 | 39,583 |
| 165 gal | 81 | 39,583 |
| 275 gal | 81 | 39,583 |
| 550 gal | 81 | 39,583 |
| 1,000 gal | 81 | 39,583 |
| 1,500 gal | 81 | 39,583 |
| 2,500 gal | 81 | 39,583 |
| 5,000 gal | 81 | 39,583 |
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