Formulation of the problem. The terrain is of exceptional importance for irrigation and drainage reclamation. A detailed study and reflection of the relief on the plan allows avoiding mistakes in the design and calculations of engineering networks, to determine the optimal technical and economic parameters and their operating modes. The nature of the relief and the slope of the irrigated area is one of the main conditions for choosing the method of irrigation and vertical planning of the field, that is, bringing the natural relief to a state provides the most favorable conditions for a general plan for drainage or irrigation. At the same time, the vertical planning of reclamation sites is an integral part of ensuring a sustainable ecological and reclamation regime of the territory by preserving the soil cover and protecting it from water erosion. The main requirement for the development of a vertical planning project is the minimum volume of excavation works. Planning, as a rule, is carried out in a single complex with the construction of land reclamation system facilities and in compliance with the balance of soil masses, that is, when the soil is redistributed on the site without its importation or removal. There are several different calculation methods and formulas for calculating the volume of excavation works. The feasibility of the method is justified in each case, taking into account the topography, field size, configuration and other features of the reclamation system, methods and means of production, and the necessary calculated accuracy of the volumes. The reliability of determining the volume of the embankment and excavation makes it possible to reduce the cost of the vertical planning. Thus, the task of determining the probable volume of excavation work is very relevant for many industries and specialists - mine surveyors, hydraulic engineers, builders, etc.
 Research results. In the work, an example of the implementation of calculating the volume of soil masses for vertical relief planning using the Surfer8 geographic information system. A distinctive advantage of the program is the interpolation algorithms embedded in it, which allow creating high-quality digital surface models with data unevenly distributed in space. In addition to the main functions, the program implements a set of additional features for converting surfaces and various operations with them, in particular, calculating the volume between two surfaces, building a profile, calculating the surface area and a number of other functions. According to the calculation results, it was found that the relative error of the calculated volume of the horizontal section using the three methods was 0,06%. The balance of excavation works is as follows: according to the Surfer software package – 1,01%, according to design formulas – 1,65% , which is less than the regulated 5,0%. The relative error of the calculated volume of the inclined sections using the three methods is 0,03 %. The balance of excavation works is accordingly: Surfer program – 4,6%, according to formulas – 0,8%, which does not exceed the regulated 5,0%.
 Conclusions. Application of the Surfer8 program makes it possible to calculate not only the volumes of earth masses between two planning surfaces, but also the areas of these surfaces. The advantages of using Surfer8 are justified by the reduction in the volume and duration of works when drawing up a vertical planning project and transferring it to nature when performing land reclamation measures, as well as the cost-effectiveness of implementation due to the smaller relative and permissible error of calculations and measurements.