You cause a lash of water from a source you can see within range to fly through the air to strike a target within range (about one gallon). That target takes 1d6 bludgeoning damage as the hardened water strikes it and the gallon of water ceases to be under your magical control.
If two or more water whips strike the same medium or smaller target at once, you can push the target 5 feet in the direction of your choosing.
As a bonus action, you can cause all water effected by the spell to return to its source.
The spell creates more than one whip when you reach higher levels: two whips at 5th level, three whips at 11th level, and four whips at 17th level. You can direct the whips at the same target or at different ones. Make a separate attack roll for each whip.