Water Walk on a water elemental

[Nail]

...but the spell description does NOT say "the subjects could be borne ...."

If the water elemental fails its Will save, it gets brought to the surface, and doesn't get a choice.

 

[HeapThaumaturgist]

It's a tactical idea that I really like, to be honest. It's sort of an interesting use of a spell, and looks like its within the RAW. You're burning a slot for a VERY situationally-useful status effect ... you're not even destroying the creature, you're just bypassing him for the duration of the spell.

--fje

 

[Pielorinho]

If the water elemental fails its Will save, it gets brought to the surface, and doesn't get a choice.

I do agree with this. It's analogous to how a creature affected by feather fall cannot choose to fall at normal speed; you could potentially escape from a pursuer in freefall by casting featherfall on him. Not a normal use of the spell, but that's fine.

Acidic_Dao, I don't mean this in any disrespectful sense, but I get the impression that your group might play fast and loose with the rules. Is this correct? That's totally fine if so, but if that's the case, then we should take that into account when answering your question. I'm virtually certain that a legalistic reading of the rules does not result in what you want; I'm pretty confident (but not certain) that a fast-and-loose reading wouldn't have the result you want, either.

Daniel