
It has been submerged in water for more than 80 years.

But now, following this summer's record drought, 60 per cent of Lake Mead has dried up, revealing entire buildings that disappeared decades ago.

And tourists are flooding in.

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Revealed: The stone ruins of St Thomas, an abandoned Old West town, have been unveiled inside Lake Mead thanks to the drought

Before: In 1970 (pictured) the reservoir was filled with water which visitors would sail across

In 2014: This recent shot of Lake Mead shows a much more shallow reservoir than usual. Water used to be feet from the top of this structure

In 2007: Just eight years ago, water filled out much more of the reservoir, which was built to provide water to the region

In 1950: Shortly after the dam was built, water filled the valley to the brim. It continued to increase in water levels until 1983 - its peak

The reservoir - America's largest - is home to St Thomas, an Old West town which was lost in 1938 when the government built a dam to create a lake.

Many residents of the historic town in Colorado, near the Grand Canyon, refused to leave until the very last minute when water consumed their homes.

Now, however, people can revisit the stone ruins and even walk across parts of the lake bed, which has lost 60 per cent of its contents.

'You have new beaches, new coves, new things you can explore,' Marina owner Bruce Nelson told CBS News.

He was one of many to applaud the natural drying up - despite the bleak prospects for a dry region lacking in water.

Diving teams are excited by the idea that more people can access submerged historic sites now that it is shallower.

And historians are reminiscing about the history that was lost.

Lake Mead National Recreation Area public affairs officer Christie Vanover told CBS: 'Things got a little wild out here. There were some horse thieves. There were some cattle rustlers.'

Now: Tourists are flocking to the region to see the region which went from desert land to water bed and back to desert land in 80 years

The marks on the side of the valley clearly show how drastically water levels have fallen over time (pictured in 2014)

Tech Diving Unlimited director Joel Silverstein told the station: 'The B-29s were very important during World War II. They carried all the different bombs and a lot of people flew in them. And they were the most popular and most used plane in World War II.'

The valley reached its highest water levels in 1983 and has been shallowing ever since due to droughts.

Most of its water content comes from melted snow which trickles down from Colorado and Wyoming.

But for the first time last year, following a steady decrease in water levels, the federal government officially reduced the amount of water that flows into Lake Mead from the northern Lake Powell.

Though this means joy for historians - who are flocking in their droves to visit St Thomas - it is bad news for cities such as Las Vegas and Los Angeles.

Residents of St Thomas, Nevada. Luke Syphus (left), Harry Gentry (right), Osborne Gentry (boy), Laura Gentry (looking through fence)

The Gentry Hotel in St Thomas Nevada, in early 20th century - a few decades before it was covered with water

Bridge over the Virgin River near St Thomas, Nevada, which acted as a crossing for cattle. Within years, only boats could cross

At the start: This is a 1935 picture taken months after the dam was built, as it was only just starting to fill up with water

Vision: This is how the government envisioned the reservoir to be. However, it has been steadily decreasing ever since

Once a vision of water sports (and a scene in Viva Las Vegas, pictured), it is set to become a dried up site, officials admit

Lake Mead is a crucial source of water for the surrounding areas, and has been ever since the government designed the reservoir.

Last year, the New York Times reported that seven in 10 Nevadans rely on Lake Mead to supply their water.

Envisioning a crisis, the Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) has spent $817 million on a new tunnel below Lake Mead to catch more water, the paper reported.