Stormwater Runoff Calculator

Estimate stormwater runoff volume from rainfall depth, drainage area, and runoff coefficient. This calculator can help with rough runoff planning for roofs, driveways, lawns, parking areas, yards, and small drainage areas.

Calculate Stormwater Runoff

Runoff Volume = Rainfall Depth × Drainage Area × Runoff Coefficient
Your result will appear here.

How the stormwater runoff calculator works

Rainfall depth:
Enter the storm rainfall amount, such as 1 inch or 25 millimeters.

Drainage area:
Enter the area that drains to the point you are estimating, such as a roof, yard, driveway, or lot.

Runoff coefficient:
Use a value from 0 to 1 to estimate how much rainfall becomes runoff.

Storm duration:
Enter the storm length to estimate average runoff flow rate.

Why use a stormwater runoff calculator?

A stormwater runoff calculator is useful for drainage planning, rain gardens, downspout estimates, driveway runoff, roof runoff, yard drainage, stormwater capture, erosion checks, and rough site planning.

Actual runoff can vary based on soil type, slope, ground saturation, rainfall intensity, drainage layout, vegetation, surface material, and local stormwater rules.

What your result means

Your result shows the estimated stormwater runoff volume after applying the runoff coefficient. It also estimates how much rainfall may soak in, evaporate, or remain outside the runoff estimate.

Stormwater runoff tips

Frequently asked questions

How do you calculate stormwater runoff volume?

Multiply rainfall depth by drainage area and runoff coefficient, then convert the volume into gallons, cubic feet, liters, or cubic meters.

What is a runoff coefficient?

A runoff coefficient estimates the portion of rainfall that becomes runoff. A value of 0.90 means about 90% of the rainfall runs off the surface.

What runoff coefficient should I use for a roof?

Roofs often use a high coefficient such as 0.85 to 0.95 for rough estimating because they shed most rainfall.

Can this design a drainage system?

No. This is a rough estimating calculator. Drainage design should use local rainfall data, codes, site conditions, and professional guidance.