So...I built this gate/arbor...

[Adsos Letter]

and I want to run an informal path of irregular flagstone up to it from the street:
[IMG][/IMG]

My dilemma: The projected path is in an area designed to move water away from the lot during rain. We live on very heavy clay soil, an the lower half of the path (from about the halfway mark down to the sidewalk) falls about 16" over a run of 15'. Add to this the fact that the ground on either side of the pathway in that stretch of run also slopes down toward it (as I hope this photo shows):
[IMG][/IMG]

and I'm wondering if I'll be able to put a flagstone path in there without flooding it out during our rainy season (about 30" per year). Any ideas on how to go about dealing with potential water issues, or if this is even worth trying?