Is the major issue the ground slope under the woodchips? Excess water should still flow off the property if the property has proper drainage. How big an area are we talking?
If you want to breakdown the woodchips faster, use a diluted urea to help it breakdown.
If I had full clay soil, I would till in something to help with the absorption, since a lack of absorption would also slow growth. Calcium carbonate or a lot of sand or something else to provide better drainage, small pea rock, etc. Starting with proper drainage is important though, otherwise ponding will always occur. I have seen another picture of a guy that used an excavator and carved a checkerboard pattern to help reconstruct the soil, that was extreme though.