Alan, there used to be two Red River channels from just above Natchitoches down to about modern-day Boyce. Below is a link to an article I wrote about the early exploration of the river and it describes the two channels. When Shreve cleared the raft in the 1830s the eastern channel [originally known as the Riviére de Petit Bon Dieu (River of the Little Good God)] became the main one and the western one became Cane River.

http://www.louisianasportsman.com/printer_friendly.php?id=1725