pump priming above pool

Dave, always a pleasure to hear from you and get your take on things. Yes, given the set-up you describe, the effluent valves would need to be closed I just learned how to play with size and color - sorry for shouting :)
I keep forgetting that the pools I work on, usually ones my company has built, aren't the 'only' way to do things. I'm sure that many of the pool owners here fail to realize that thier pool system isn't necessarily the only one, and that other people may have a completely different setup' (in my case, I'm usually picturing the last pool I worked on for whichever issue is in question)
Mizzo, if you decide to add the check valve and if you have the room, put a union (some folks call them a 'quick disconnect'), on the pool side of the check valve - it will make 'blowing' the lines in the fall easier.