I feel you pain there ADL. One year I tried a leaf net over the solid cover. This didn't work as I had hoped. The instructions with the leaf net say to remove the net before snow accumulates but we usually get our first snow here before all the leaves have fallen. That's what happened the year I tried it and the whole thing sank on top of the solid cover making it more difficult in the spring. I now know why all the pictures of these things have the leaves super-imposed on the net.

I'm thinking of using a safety cover instead but do I need to worry about the pool's water level thoughout the winter then? There's also the option of a solid saftey cover but the water still needs to be drained from that or it can have a mesh drain panel but then I'd still have to be concerned with the water level.

The only idea I have and might try for next year is to raise the solid cover above the pool by using air pillows. First I'll lower the water below the skimmer then put 8 4' x 15' air pillows in my 16x32 pool and put the solid cover over those. I'll leave enough room between the water bags for the water to run off. Doing it this way hopefully I can just blow the leaves off of the cover and there won't be any standing water. Unless of course there's a better way....