That and other testing led the Department of Homeland Security to use BASIS to create its BioWatch Program, which President Bush has called the "nation's first early warning network of sensors to detect biological attack."

But exactly where sensors are has not been publicly disclosed officially. Spokesmen for several agencies involved in such testing would not say whether it has continued in Salt Lake City, the site of some of its earliest use and testing.

Some press reports have said that BioWatch is fielded in select cities, reportedly including Philadelphia, New York City, San Diego, Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, St. Louis, Houston, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C.

Dams and reservoirs

Like water systems, dams upstream have more protection now from terrorists.

Ed Vidmar, who oversees dam safety for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation's Provo office, said that has tripped up and surprised some fishermen who ventured where they should not to try to fish from dams.

"Some ignored signs about restricted areas, thinking they would be getting where the fishing was better," he said. "Some of them have been surprised at the heavy law enforcement response they attracted for simple trespassing."

During the Olympics, security was especially tight around some dams — such as Mountain Dell, where a break could wreak havoc in Salt Lake City below.

"We have a couple of maintenance people who kind of forgot about that. They were doing some routine maintenance on top of the dam, and all of a sudden they were staring down a (military) Blackhawk helicopter," Hooton said.

Vidmar said large dams owned by the federal government in Utah have all undergone a "comprehensive security review" to check for vulnerabilities. Such reviews are conducted again every six years and have major updates every three years, with some review also occurring every year.

He said the federal government has incorporated new security measures with other construction that has occurred to improve such dams as Deer Creek above Provo and Pineview above Ogden. Such projects have taken roads and public access off dams and added signs and barriers, extra patrols and security cameras, among other steps.

Other utilities

Rocky Mountain Power does not talk much about specifics it is taking to protect its power lines and plants against terrorism — but it says such steps indeed are happening.

"We have increased our security profile at all significant locations substantially," said Dave Eskelsen, spokesman for the utility.