The $14 billion network of levees and floodwalls that was built to protect greater New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina was a seemingly invincible bulwark against flooding.

But now, 11 months after the Army Corps of Engineers completed one of the largest public works projects in world history, the agency says the system will stop providing adequate protection in as little as four years because of rising sea levels and shrinking levees.

The growing vulnerability of the New Orleans area is forcing the Army Corps to begin assessing repair work, including raising hundreds of miles of levees and floodwalls that form a meandering earth and concrete fortress around the city and its adjacent suburbs.

“These systems that maybe were protecting us before are no longer going to be able to protect us without adjustments,” said Emily Vuxton, policy director of the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana, an environmental group. She said repair costs could be “hundreds of millions” of dollars, with 75% paid by federal taxpayers.

BALTIMORE -- Somewhere, Eugenio Velez is toasting.

Baltimore Orioles slugger Chris Davis went 0-for-3 in his first three plate appearances against the Oakland A's on Monday night, extending his hitless streak to 47 consecutive at-bats. In doing so, he broke Eugenio Velez for the longest hitless streak by a position player in major league history, according to data from the Elias Sports Bureau.

Velez, a former utility man, started his streak by going hitless in his final nine at-bats for the San Francisco Giants during the 2010 season. In 2011, his final year in the majors, he had 37 at-bats with the Los Angeles Dodgers and failed to record a hit.

The Baltimore first baseman hasn't recorded a hit since doubling against White Sox hurler James Shields on Sept. 14 of last year. He went hitless over his final 21 at-bats of the 2018 campaign, then started this season by going 0-for-23 with 13 strikeouts over the Orioles' first nine games, prior to Monday.