The high chance for flood disasters in the region was caused by the fact that since 1273, the Meuse discharged into the Waal somewhat downstream of 's-Hertogenbosch.

Other problems downstream were that the Zuid-Willemsvaart, the Aa, Dommel, and Leij could hardly process the increased amount of water from the Campine.

The disastrous flood season of late December 1880 would finally induce the government to take effective measures.

The flood included a breach in the dykes near Nieuwkuijk and put the complete Land van Heusden en Altena under water.

The local water board was enthusiastic, because the drainage would then become dependent on the lower Meuse level near Drongelen, instead of that near Fort Crèvecoeur.

The mouth of the canal was at Gansoyen, a village that would disappear in 1894 due to the digging of the Bergse Maas.

[12] The idea behind the change of plan seemed to be that several overflow areas would no longer be necessary, and would remain dry every season.

[14] In answer to the protests of the water boards, the minister stated that the movement of the Mouth of the Meuse by itself, brought about the closure of the Baardwijkse Overlaat.

The Bergsche Maas would require a dyke at the regular height for rivers, and an overflow area could not function in such circumstances.

The reason was that it would be more economical to make one construction of the lock and a culvert that led the Oude Maasje below the Drongelens Canal.

However, it is very probable that authorities first wanted to see the effects of the move of the mouth of the Meuse before continuing work on the canal.

The water board noted that the average Meuse level near Heusden was 2 m lower, compared to the previous years.

Now the general water board of Northeast North Brabant changed its mind and started to push for completion of the canal.

[1] In April 1907 the order for construction was given to contractors De Groot and Calis, who made the lowest bid.

4 had been delivered by Machine Factory Hollandsche IJssel (previously De Jongh & Co.) in Oudewater (which still exists) in early summer 1908.

In the night their employees guarded the dykes against people who wanted to break them[31] in order to make their own land dry.

[32] In the night of 8–9 September 1910 the Dommel opened the canal by flowing over the threshold below the railway bridge south of 's-Hertogenbosch station.

[33] Whether the canal would serve its purpose could only be determined by the occurrence of a very high water level on the upper Meuse.

The province noted that the new mouth of the Meuse and the drainage canal discharged enormous amounts of water.

It noted that in recent years the speed of discharge upstream had increased so dramatically, that without the Bergse Maas and the Drongelens Canal, half of North Brabant and Gelderland would have been under water at the time.

[18] At the time of construction the idea was that barges could use the lock to transport agricultural produce and needs upstream, by passing it when the water levels allowed.

The latter renovation included a fish passage, and won an award by the Stichting Sluizen en Stuwen Nederland.

The award was given for the way the remote controlled operation had been integrated without damaging the monument too much, and for the exposition of parts of the steam engine on the terrace for visitors.

Water board Aa & Maas did not make exact specifications of the parts, instead it sketched the desired result.

A peculiarity is that the trail run of Athletics Club Prins Hendrik from Vught crosses the canal by using the new threshold near the 's-Hertogenbosch by-pass.

The new threshold is very popular with fishermen that want to engage in fly fishing from a position in the water, or to practice such activity.

The Drongelens Canal is plagued by the floating pennywort, an invasive exotic plant from North America.

In 2017 Water Board Aa en Maas took the initiative to create an ecological connection zone.

The specific purpose is that Badger, Spined loach, Scarce large blue, and Wart-biter will profit.

Other species that are supposed to thrive on the improvement in habitat are Northern crested newt, Pool frog and Butterflies.