Hey all, so my question is that in the description of the 4th level spell 'Control Water', it doesnt specify whether or not you need to be able to see the water to use the spell, unlike 'Shape Water', which does specify you need to see the water in its description.
So i wanted to know what peoples thoughts were on, for example, using 'Control Water' on a body of water behind a stone wall that is within distance and also within the size restrictions of the spell.

Below is the full description of the spell.

• Until the spell ends, you control any freestanding water inside an area you choose that is a cube up to 100 feet on a side. You can choose from any of the following effects when you cast this spell. As an action on your turn, you can repeat the same effect or choose a different one.
  Flood. You cause the water level of all standing water in the area to rise by as much as 20 feet. If the area includes a shore, the flooding water spills over onto dry land.
  If you choose an area in a large body of water, you instead create a 20-foot tall wave that travels from one side of the area to the other and then crashes down. Any Huge or smaller vehicles in the wave’s path are carried with it to the other side. Any Huge or smaller vehicles struck by the wave have a 25 percent chance of capsizing.
  The water level remains elevated until the spell ends or you choose a different effect. If this effect produced a wave, the wave repeats on the start of your next turn while the flood effect lasts.
  Part Water. You cause water in the area to move apart and create a trench. The trench extends across the spell’s area, and the separated water forms a wall to either side. The trench remains until the spell ends or you choose a different effect. The water then slowly fills in the trench over the course of the next round until the normal water level is restored.
  Redirect Flow. You cause flowing water in the area to move in a direction you choose, even if the water has to flow over obstacles, up walls, or in other unlikely directions. The water in the area moves as you direct it, but once it moves beyond the spell’s area, it resumes its flow based on the terrain conditions. The water continues to move in the direction you chose until the spell ends or you choose a different effect.
  Whirlpool. This effect requires a body of water at least 50 feet square and 25 feet deep. You cause a whirlpool to form in the center of the area. The whirlpool forms a vortex that is 5 feet wide at the base, up to 50 feet wide at the top, and 25 feet tall. Any creature or object in the water and within 25 feet of the vortex is pulled 10 feet toward it. A creature can swim away from the vortex by making a Strength (Athletics) check against your spell save DC.
  When a creature enters the vortex for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there, it must make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 2d8 bludgeoning damage and is caught in the vortex until the spell ends. On a successful save, the creature takes half damage, and isn’t caught in the vortex. A creature caught in the vortex can use its action to try to swim away from the vortex as described above, but has disadvantage on the Strength (Athletics) check to do so.
  The first time each turn that an object enters the vortex, the object takes 2d8 bludgeoning damage; this damage occurs each round it remains in the vortex.

The full description of control water is a little odd, in that it never mentions range or sight, whereas control winds does.  I think that is more of an oversight rather than an exception to the general spellcasting rules.  When you cast a spell that has an area of effect it still requires a point of origin which must be in your line of sight.  Here are the relevant passages:

"A spell's description specifies its area of effect, which typically has one of five different shapes: cone, cube, cylinder, line, or sphere. Every area of effect has a point of origin, a location from which the spell's energy erupts."

"To target something, you must have a clear path to it, so it can't be behind total cover. If you place an area of effect at a point that you can't see and an obstruction, such as a wall, is between you and that point, the point of origin comes into being on the near side of that obstruction."

Note that you only need line of sight to the point of origin, the area of effect then traces its line of sight to that point of origin.

"A spell's effect expands in straight lines from the point of origin. If no unblocked straight line extends from the point of origin to a location within the area of effect, that location isn't included in the spell's area."

Assuming the usual spell rules apply, if the stone wall blocks all view of the water then your spell will not be able to affect the water behind it as neither you nor the point of origin can see the water.  However, if the stone wall only partially blocks your view of the water, you can aim the spell at a visible point and then the area of effect can affect water whether you see it or not.

You don't need to see the water, but there must be a clear path between you and that water initially in order for the spell to work.

You could cast it in pitch darkness at water that is not behind a wall.

Once the spell is cast then you would be free to use it to cause the water to flow behind a wall where you no longer have the clear path.

Cool, thank you both. I appreciate it