sentences:  The present bayou bed was formed by the waters of the Arkansas River during a period when it was constantly changing courses.Approximately 1,800 to 2,200 years ago, the river diverted from the present area of the bayou, and the leisurely bayou began to develop in the old river bed.Until construction of railroad lines in the area in the late 19th century, it was the most important stream for transportation in the interior Delta.