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?

[Nay]

1. Some strategically placed French drains? My son directed water away from his house with

French drains, and it worked perfectly.

[Adsos Letter]

2. I'm leaning in that direction...

I wonder if a 6" trench run down either side of the walkway, and filled with drainage gravel wrapped in weed cloth might do the trick.

I'm also wondering if I should use a doubled-up benderboard edging material to elevate the gravel/sand bed for the flagstone so that the finished surface is a couple of inches higher than the surrounding soil.

I spent 32 years as a Painter and I can't believe I don't know any landscapers to ask...

Thanks for your idea Nay!

[Nay]

3. IIRC, my son dug them wider, about a foot wide at least, and about 1 1/2 feet deep. He's gotten

good drainage.

You're welcome!

[Kolesar]

4. Geotextile french drain

There are other brands like this, too
http://www.multi-flow.com/Menu/french_drains.html

[mopinko]

5. permeable pavers?

[HereSince1628]

6. Looks great...one comment from a patio project that gets some car traffic...

I put in a patio between a house and a garage, because the patio ran next to a driveway it was sometimes driven on while making a sharp turn around a corner of the house. 4 inches of sand over 6 inches of gravel didn't support even a little car traffic very well. You might want to check on crushed stone mix that can be compacted as the base.

on edit...as long as depressions don't develop along the tire tracks, it appears that the slope is adequate to move the water away, I've got something like that slope on my yard away from the house and I get similar amounts of rain per year. It also doesn't seem so steep that it would present a problem with the pavers wanting to slide downhill under the weight and traction of a vehicle.