San Diego County's largest, most prestigious, and most popular mall is Fashion Valley Shopping Center, and it's located at the western end of Mission Valley in the heart of San Diego.

It was renovated and expanded back in the late 1990s, with a huge transit station being built to handle traffic from busses and the San Diego Trolley. Three huge, multi-story parking garages were also built.

All of Mission Valley is a flood plain for the San Diego River, but the river, for the most part, is controlled. However, there are times with an El Niño winter season arrives and brings more rain than usual. The last big one was in 1998, but we're expecting one this winter, too.

This past week has seen a lot of rain, with this past Monday being the wettest December 7 on record. A total of 1.56 inches of rain fell at the official measuring station at the airport downtown, shattering the old record of 1.15 inches in 1992.

When these types of storms come through, the San Diego River floods in several areas, streets as well as the lower levels of the parking garages, making shopping difficult for thousands of people trying to get to and from the mall, not to mention thousands of parking spots being flooded. The fact that these storms usually come through during the Christmas shopping season only exacerbates the problem.

Following are some pictures from December 8, 2009, the day after this winter's biggest storm so far.

The rumors are that the lower levels of the parking garages were purposefully built below the river floodplain itself as a flood prevention measure since there are so many condominiums and businesses in Mission Valley. When the river floods, it simply floods the parking garages which are then closed until the river recedes.

♫♪♪♫♪♫♫♫♪♪♫♪♫

I'm available 24/7, so feel free to contact me by phone or email.

Jim Frimmer, Realtor
Century 21 Award Mission Valley
California DRE License #01458572
619-729-5701
jimfrimmer@century21award.com
Mission Valley Condos Information

♫♪♪♫♪♫♫♫♪♪♫♪♫

15 most recent blog posts:

1. Why politicians can't get anything done
2. Is the increase in house fires a result of the economy?
3. I'm keeping track of the liars and shall turn my list over to Santa
4. Wordless Wednesday: Lights, camera, action!
5. Company Christmas parties
6. Architecturally interesting in Valley Center, California
7. I finally ran into the agent from the center of the Earth
8. San Diego County beaches are still open but not as crowded
9. Why do people who work in government have no common sense?
10. Are you working your brain?
11. Do you know how to kill a houseplant?
12. Sell and downsize or get a reverse mortgage?
13. SST (Speechless Sunday with Text)
14. Thanksgiving Sunday Open House results
15. Are legally binding contracts no longer legally binding?

My favorite ActiveRain Groups:

ActiveRain Convention Station
ActiveRain Guerrilla Marketing Station
ActiveRain History Station
ActiveRain Library Station
ActiveRain Nature Station
ActiveRain Symphony Station
ActiveRain Travel Station