In July 1996, a millennial storm hit the Village of Montgomery, Ill., unleashing 17 inches of rain in 24 hours — half the area’s average annual rainfall for a year.The flooded village was devastated, and the experience led local officials to revamp the stormwater management program. The results include higher standards for stormwater detention; the use of native plantings and best management practices; and a new philosophy on valuing stormwater as a community asset.Montgomery is located 40 miles west of Chicago and has seen more than 300 percent population growth in the last decade, from 5,100 to 18,000. The development
