How long should you wait after rainfall to evaluate a stream?

Waiting for 48 hours after rainfall before evaluating a stream is essential to ensure that the water conditions have stabilized and any short-term effects from the stormwater runoff have subsided. This timeframe allows sediments, pollutants, and other materials that may have been stirred up during the rainfall to settle, providing a clearer picture of the stream's ecological health and water quality. Evaluating too soon, such as within 24 or even 36 hours, could lead to misleading results due to the ongoing effects of the rain. A full 72 hours could be excessive, as many environmental changes may have already normalized before that point. Therefore, 48 hours strikes a balance between allowing enough time for conditions to stabilize while still being timely enough to gather relevant data.