River Valley Mall

Monday's downpour and ensuing floods might have hindered holiday shopping when the San Diego River overflowed its banks and inundated acres of low-level parking garages at Fashion Valley Mall.

The flooded parking spaces — numbering over 1000 and some under three feet of muddy water — were along the mall's south side, just a few dozen yards from the swollen river.

Floodwater was still hubcap-high and draining slowly on Tuesday afternoon. Parking garage entrances remained barricaded with yellow police tape and orange cones, and frustrated shoppers sought parking on higher ground.

The garages are expected to be completely drained before this weekend. The flooded river, which caused traffic detours during Monday's deluge, was still bank-high on Tuesday night but expected to be normal by Friday afternoon.

A security guard said, "But if it rains hard again this week, the lower lots will stay flooded. When you build a mall in the middle of a river valley this is bound to happen."